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: ball · mate · row · pass · fan · cue · arm · pop

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. row — a line
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. row — to paddle
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — to visit
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mate — to breed
  20. cue — a hint
  21. mate — a friend
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. row — a quarrel

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