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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. cue — a signal
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — for catching
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. mate — a partner
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cue — a hint
  11. content — happy
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. mate — a friend
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. net — in sport
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. stem — to come from
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stem — a stem cell

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