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: mark · leaves · cue · rock · wake · dip · scale · charge

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. cue — a signal
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. charge — a price
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. scale — in music
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wake — a trail
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. cue — for pool
  13. charge — in control
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rock — music
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. rock — a stone
  18. cue — a hint
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. dip — to sink
  24. scale — for weighing

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