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: scale · cue · chest · pass · rush · mark · saw · bowl

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. scale — size or range
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cue — a signal
  8. pass — a permit
  9. chest — of your body
  10. cue — for pool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rush — hurry
  19. chest — a box
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. mark — a grade
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. scale — in music

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