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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. track — to keep track
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. mug — a cup
  6. track — a path
  7. mug — a face
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. track — a song
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stock — shares
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — of water
  14. mug — to rob
  15. spring — the season
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cue — for pool
  20. dip — to sink
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pass — a permit

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