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 116 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 water is too ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. cold — an illness
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. march — the month
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. spell — letters
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. march — music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. march — the month
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mug — a face
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cue — a hint
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — a short time
  24. cell — a phone

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