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 · last · plane · rest · mouse · calf · degree · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. cue — a signal
  4. last — final
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rest — what's left
  9. last — to go on
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. last — finally
  18. degree — from a university
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rest — a break
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. degree — an amount
  24. degree — temperature

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