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 120 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: nail · calf · leaves · object · wave · capital · cue · stock

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. capital — a city
  4. capital — money
  5. object — an aim
  6. stock — shares
  7. cue — a signal
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. object — a thing
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. cue — a hint
  14. object — to protest
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cue — for pool
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — goods

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