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 water is too ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. cue — a signal
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. squash — the sport
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. cue — a hint
  12. mark — a trace
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. cold — an illness
  16. squash — to crush
  17. plane — a tool
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. lie — to recline
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. mark — a grade

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