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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. scale — in music
  3. spell — letters
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mate — a friend
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pit — a hole
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pass — a permit
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. pit — in a race
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. spell — magic
  24. mark — a trace

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