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: fine · arm · drill · track · saw · pitch · cue · mouse

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. track — to keep track
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. track — a song
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. drill — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. drill — army training
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pitch — completely
  18. saw — the tool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. drill — a practice
  23. track — a path
  24. fine — all right

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