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.
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.
- He has no idea where the ________________ is.
- Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
- One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
- I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
- The ball is in your ________________.
- Have you found your soul ________________?
- Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
- They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
- Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
- The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
- Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
- Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
- Have you met the new head ________________?
- Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
- It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
- The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
- Is it ________________ for us to be here?
- When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com
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