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 · prune · land · bark · cabinet · suit · chest · fine

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. land — a country
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bark — to shout
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cue — a signal
  8. land — to come down
  9. cue — a hint
  10. fine — high quality
  11. chest — of your body
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. chest — a box
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fine — all right
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. land — ground

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