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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. cue — for pool
  3. mug — a face
  4. race — humankind
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. scale — size or range
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. scale — in music
  10. race — the arms race
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pit — a hole
  16. race — a contest
  17. mug — a cup
  18. cue — a hint
  19. mate — to breed
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mate — a friend
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. mate — a partner

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