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: suit · wound · cue · ground · land · ball · dip · mark

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ball — a great time
  6. mark — a grade
  7. land — to come down
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. wound — an injury
  12. land — ground
  13. cue — a hint
  14. land — a country
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ground — a position
  17. dip — to sink
  18. ground — crushed
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wound — an injury
  22. ball — a dance
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. dip — a sauce

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