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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. march — the month
  4. suit — to fit
  5. dip — to sink
  6. suit — in cards
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. march — the month
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. march — music
  16. saw — the tool
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. suit — clothes
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mark — a trace

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