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 120 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. sharp — clever
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. cue — a hint
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. last — to go on
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mark — a grade
  17. scale — size or range
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. scale — in music
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. last — final
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. last — finally
  24. bulb — for light

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