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: temple · ball · mouse · cap · cue · mug · pound · spell

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mug — a face
  6. spell — letters
  7. cap — a hat
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mug — to rob
  17. ball — a dance
  18. cap — a lid
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pound — a weight
  21. mug — a cup
  22. spell — magic
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pound — to hit hard

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