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: dip · cell · pit · mouse · fan · stand · mark · foot

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stand — to bear
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. cell — in biology
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — in a race
  15. foot — a measure
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. mark — a grade
  19. cell — a phone
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mark — a trace
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. mouse — 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