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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mine — for digging
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cue — for pool
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. drill — a practice
  8. mate — a friend
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. drill — the tool
  12. mate — a partner
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mark — a grade
  19. toast — bread
  20. cue — a hint
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. drill — army training
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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