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

Word bank: cue · spell · dip · net · rest · fine · wake · patient

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rest — a break
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. spell — magic
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. fine — all right
  9. wake — a trail
  10. spell — letters
  11. cue — a signal
  12. spell — a short time
  13. rest — what's left
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. fine — high quality
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — in sport
  24. dip — to dunk

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