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: face · stick · nail · toast · mark · cue · rash · hand

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hand — help
  6. rash — hasty
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. face — part of the head
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cue — a hint
  13. mark — a trace
  14. cue — for pool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. face — to point toward
  17. hand — in cards
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mark — a grade
  21. face — to confront
  22. rash — a series
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. toast — bread

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