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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. drill — a practice
  6. season — in sport
  7. pit — a hole
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. drill — the tool
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. mark — a grade
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. season — of the year
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pit — in a race
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — a trail
  19. hand — in cards
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. hand — help
  22. cue — a hint
  23. drill — army training
  24. racket — for tennis

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