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 · calf · pound · date · plane · net · bound · lie

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bound — certain
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. cue — a signal
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. pound — a weight
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — in sport
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bound — tied together
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. cue — a hint
  14. date — the fruit
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. cue — for pool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. plane — a tool
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. net — for catching
  24. bound — obliged

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