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: club · cue · bear · tube · face · deal · scale · trunk

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. face — to confront
  3. cue — a signal
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. scale — in music
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. tube — the underground
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bear — the animal
  11. scale — size or range
  12. cue — a hint
  13. tube — a container
  14. face — to point toward
  15. club — for dancing
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. cue — for pool
  19. face — part of the head
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. club — a group
  22. bear — the animal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. club — for golf

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