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: saw · rash · cap · bass · degree · cue · temple · date

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. rash — a series
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. cap — of ice
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cue — a hint
  11. degree — an amount
  12. rash — hasty
  13. cue — a signal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. cap — a hat
  18. degree — from a university
  19. bass — low music
  20. date — the fruit
  21. degree — temperature
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cap — a lid
  24. date — on the calendar

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