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: calf · cue · branch · ball · face · bat · stand · leaves

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. cue — a signal
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — part of the head
  6. branch — a division
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. stand — to bear
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. ball — a dance
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. face — to confront
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bat — the animal
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. cue — a hint
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. ball — a great time

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