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 · bore · object · branch · kid · coach · swing · lie

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bore — to drill
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. cue — for pool
  7. object — a thing
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — to play on
  10. kid — to tease
  11. kid — child
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. object — an aim
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. cue — a hint
  17. branch — a division
  18. lie — to recline
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bore — to tire
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cue — a signal

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