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: date · fine · sharp · scale · face · drill · lash · cue

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. cue — a hint
  3. scale — in music
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. drill — the tool
  7. cue — for pool
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. face — to confront
  10. date — the fruit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. drill — army training
  16. face — to point toward
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. fine — high quality
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. face — part of the head
  21. scale — size or range
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cue — a signal
  24. drill — a practice

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