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: cue · dip · plane · branch · kid · scale · can · pit

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. dip — to sink
  3. scale — size or range
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. can — a tin
  8. branch — a division
  9. pit — in a race
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. cue — a signal
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. kid — to tease
  16. plane — a tool
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. cue — for pool
  19. scale — in music
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. can — a tin
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pit — a hole

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