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: degree · staff · leaves · foot · shower · tube · cue · lean

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. tube — the underground
  3. cue — for pool
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. foot — a measure
  7. shower — to wash
  8. cue — a hint
  9. shower — rain
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. lean — thin
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. tube — a container
  14. degree — temperature
  15. degree — an amount
  16. staff — a stick
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. degree — from a university
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. foot — part of the body

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