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: scale · mark · spell · fine · dip · mine · mug · row

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. spell — magic
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mug — a cup
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. mug — a face
  10. scale — size or range
  11. fine — all right
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mine — for digging
  15. dip — to sink
  16. row — a line
  17. spell — letters
  18. scale — in music
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. mark — a trace
  22. spell — a short time
  23. row — to paddle
  24. mug — to rob

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