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 · key · bulb · bay · cue · capital · wind · face

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bulb — for light
  4. key — in music
  5. wind — moving air
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. face — to confront
  10. capital — money
  11. capital — a city
  12. face — part of the head
  13. wind — moving air
  14. key — for a lock
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. cue — a hint
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. capital — a big letter

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