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: court · tube · cue · rush · calf · prune · wave · net

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cue — a signal
  3. court — for sport
  4. tube — the underground
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — for catching
  7. prune — to trim
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. rush — hurry
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — of law
  16. prune — to trim
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. tube — a container
  19. cue — for pool
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. net — in sport
  22. cue — a hint
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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