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: suit · degree · chest · present · calf · cue · rest · pound

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. chest — of your body
  3. cue — a signal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rest — what's left
  6. present — there
  7. suit — clothes
  8. present — the time now
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. degree — temperature
  11. cue — for pool
  12. suit — in cards
  13. present — a gift
  14. degree — from a university
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chest — a box
  19. degree — an amount
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rest — a break
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pound — a weight
  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