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: season · sharp · object · calf · cap · cue · present · rock

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. cue — a hint
  3. present — a gift
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. cue — a signal
  6. season — in sport
  7. sharp — clever
  8. season — of the year
  9. rock — music
  10. cap — of ice
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cap — a hat
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rock — a stone
  17. present — there
  18. object — a thing
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. object — an aim
  22. present — the time now
  23. cap — a lid
  24. calf — a young animal

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