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: rush · chip · face · mouse · calf · spell · capital · cue

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. capital — a city
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. cue — a hint
  7. face — to confront
  8. cue — for pool
  9. spell — letters
  10. capital — money
  11. cue — a signal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. spell — a short time
  14. chip — to eat
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. chip — for betting
  20. face — to point toward
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. face — part of the head
  24. calf — a young animal

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