ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · mark · trunk · coach · cue · calf · rock · bear

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. mark — a grade
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rock — a stone
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cue — for pool
  24. rock — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com