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 · leaves · hide · fan · scale · suit · cabinet · chest

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. suit — to fit
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. scale — size or range
  6. chest — of your body
  7. cue — a signal
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. cue — a hint
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cue — for pool
  15. scale — in music
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. suit — clothes
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — a box

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