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 116 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 · club · ruler · calf · fan · rush · march · bark

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. march — the month
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. cue — a hint
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. club — a group
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bark — to shout
  12. march — music
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. cue — a signal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. rush — hurry
  19. club — for golf
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. club — for dancing
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. march — the month

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