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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. cue — for pool
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. march — the month
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a great time
  8. land — a country
  9. cue — a hint
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. cue — a signal
  13. land — to come down
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. land — ground
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mark — a trace
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. foot — a measure
  24. march — music

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