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: mug · mark · pitcher · cap · root · cue · file · ball

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. file — a line of people
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. cue — a signal
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mug — to rob
  8. cap — a hat
  9. root — of a plant
  10. cap — of ice
  11. mark — a grade
  12. root — of a word
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mug — a cup
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. file — a document
  19. cue — for pool
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mug — a face
  23. root — the cause
  24. cap — a lid

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