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: cue · current · tube · degree · safe · fan · cell · calf

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. current — electric
  3. tube — the underground
  4. current — of water
  5. degree — from a university
  6. cue — for pool
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. current — happening now
  12. tube — a container
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cell — a phone
  15. cue — a hint
  16. degree — temperature
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. degree — an amount
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. cue — a signal
  24. fan — to cool the air

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