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 116 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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mark — a grade
  7. file — a tool
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. snap — to click
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. file — a document
  17. cue — a hint
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. file — a line of people
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. cue — for pool
  23. season — in sport
  24. prune — to trim

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