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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. mark — a grade
  4. foot — a measure
  5. drill — army training
  6. cell — a phone
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. cell — in biology
  9. dip — to sink
  10. drill — the tool
  11. pit — a hole
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. drill — a practice
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. key — in music
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. foot — the bottom

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