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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. mark — a trace
  5. clip — a video
  6. net — for catching
  7. suit — in cards
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. net — after costs
  10. clip — to cut
  11. row — to paddle
  12. net — in sport
  13. clip — for paper
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mark — a grade
  16. fine — all right
  17. row — a line
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mate — a partner
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. cue — a hint

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