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: cabinet · cue · fine · kid · court · mug · fork · bear

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mug — a face
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mug — to rob
  7. cue — for pool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. court — for sport
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cue — a signal
  12. fine — high quality
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mug — a cup
  16. court — of law
  17. kid — to tease
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. fine — all right
  20. court — of a king
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cue — a hint

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