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: ground · can · mark · spring · cue · mouse · content · pitcher

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mark — a grade
  5. spring — the season
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. spring — of water
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. cue — for pool
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ground — the earth
  12. content — happy
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. spring — a coil
  16. ground — crushed
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cue — a signal
  19. content — the amount
  20. ground — a position
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mark — a trace
  24. can — a tin

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