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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. staff — a stick
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mine — for digging
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. mug — a cup
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mug — a face
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mug — to rob
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. key — in music

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