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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. present — a gift
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. chest — of your body
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. chest — a box
  13. mug — to rob
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. present — there
  17. chest — of your body
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wax — to grow
  21. mug — a face
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. present — the time now
  24. mark — a grade

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