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: cue · snap · lean · degree · ball · mate · bass · lie

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — the fish
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mate — a friend
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bass — low music
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. cue — for pool
  11. degree — temperature
  12. ball — a great time
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ball — a dance
  16. degree — an amount
  17. mate — to breed
  18. snap — to click
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. mate — a partner

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