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 · march · calf · cell · suit · board · sharp · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. suit — in cards
  3. march — music
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. march — the month
  9. cell — in biology
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cue — a signal
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cue — a hint
  15. march — the month
  16. cue — for pool
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. season — of the year
  20. board — to get on
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. sharp — clever
  24. board — a committee

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