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: perch · can · cue · mark · net · clip · patient · pitch

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. can — a tin
  3. net — for catching
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. cue — for pool
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. clip — a video
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. can — to be able to
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. net — after costs
  21. clip — to cut
  22. can — a tin
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. clip — for paper

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