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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pitch — completely
  4. wake — a trail
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — a short time
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. spell — letters
  9. cue — for pool
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mate — a partner
  14. foot — a measure
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a line
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mate — to breed

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