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 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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wind — moving air
  4. mark — a grade
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. drill — army training
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. pit — in a race
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — a practice
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. present — a gift
  17. wind — moving air
  18. present — the time now
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pit — a hole
  21. cue — for pool
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. cue — a signal
  24. present — there

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