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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. can — to be able to
  6. net — after costs
  7. can — a tin
  8. net — for catching
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. mark — a trace
  12. can — a tin
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. net — in sport
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. ball — a great time

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