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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. row — to paddle
  3. degree — from a university
  4. row — a line
  5. bound — tied together
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. degree — an amount
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — certain
  13. season — of the year
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. season — in sport
  19. degree — temperature
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. cue — a signal

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