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: last · ball · mate · race · cabinet · lie · row · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. row — to paddle
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. last — final
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. last — to go on
  9. cue — a signal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. race — a contest
  12. last — finally
  13. race — the arms race
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ball — a great time
  16. row — a line
  17. mate — a friend
  18. race — humankind
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mate — a partner
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mate — to breed
  24. lie — to recline

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