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: mark · object · cue · dip · land · straw · mouse · lean

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. cue — a hint
  4. object — an aim
  5. lean — to bend
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. mark — a trace
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. cue — for pool
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. object — a thing
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. land — ground
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. dip — to sink
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. object — to protest
  19. cue — a signal
  20. land — a country
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. lean — thin

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