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: hide · bat · temple · fork · calf · rest · scale · cue

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bat — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. scale — size or range
  7. fork — in a road
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. cue — for pool
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rest — a break
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rest — what's left

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