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: lash · calf · snap · plane · straw · land · suit · cue

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. cue — a hint
  4. land — to come down
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. cue — for pool
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. land — ground
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. suit — clothes
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. land — a country
  17. plane — a tool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. snap — to click
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. suit — in cards

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