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 116 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. kick — in football
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. cell — a phone
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rest — what's left
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. mark — a grade
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rest — a break
  24. fan — a supporter

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