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 · suit · mine · bass · object · cue · pitch · shower

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. object — an aim
  3. shower — to wash
  4. suit — clothes
  5. object — a thing
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cue — for pool
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. shower — rain
  13. cue — a hint
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. object — to protest
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pitch — completely
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. mine — for digging
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. mark — a grade
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bass — low 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