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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wake — a trail
  3. lean — thin
  4. cap — a lid
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. spell — magic
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. hand — help
  11. mark — a grade
  12. spell — a short time
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. lean — to bend
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. hand — in cards
  19. cap — a hat
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. cap — of ice
  24. spell — letters

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