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: sharp · calf · stock · toast · stick · shower · cue · lie

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — shares
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. shower — rain
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. cue — a hint
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stock — goods
  22. cue — for pool
  23. toast — bread
  24. lie — to recline

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