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: kick · mate · jam · content · bark · cue · temple · trunk

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bark — to shout
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. kick — in football
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. content — the amount
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. content — happy
  19. cue — for pool
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a friend
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. jam — in traffic

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