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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · pit · cue · game · arm · temple

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. cell — a phone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. game — wild animals
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cell — in biology
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. game — a match

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