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 120 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: current · calf · chip · chest · cue · trunk · coach · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. pop — to visit
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. current — electric
  6. chest — of your body
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. chest — of your body
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. chest — a box
  14. chip — for betting
  15. current — happening now
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pop — soda
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. cue — a hint
  20. chip — to eat
  21. current — of water
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. cue — a signal

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