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 · row · fine · game · pitcher · nail · mug · fall

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fine — high quality
  5. row — a line
  6. fall — to drop
  7. row — to paddle
  8. mug — to rob
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. fall — to drop
  11. game — a match
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fine — all right
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. cue — a signal
  17. mug — a face
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fall — the season
  20. game — wild animals
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cue — for pool
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. row — a quarrel

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