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 120 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. staff — a stick
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. board — a committee
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. staff — employees
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mark — a grade
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — to get on
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. snap — to click
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. staff — employees
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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