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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. mark — a grade
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. land — a country
  7. degree — an amount
  8. land — ground
  9. land — to come down
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — music
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mark — a trace
  14. degree — from a university
  15. cue — a signal
  16. degree — temperature
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. cue — a hint
  20. vault — a safe
  21. season — of the year
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. season — in sport
  24. swing — in golf

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