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: toast · kid · mate · bat · dip · bulb · stand · cue

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. toast — bread
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. cue — a signal
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. kid — to tease
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bat — the animal

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