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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. cue — a signal
  8. mate — a partner
  9. shower — to wash
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. shower — rain
  18. saw — the tool
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — for pool
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mate — a friend

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