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: rash · deal · last · cue · snap · mark · calf · date

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rash — hasty
  5. last — to go on
  6. cue — for pool
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. cue — a signal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. snap — to click
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. last — finally
  13. deal — to handle
  14. cue — a hint
  15. mark — a trace
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rash — a series
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. date — the fruit
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. last — final
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. deal — an agreement

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