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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. court — for sport
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. court — of a king
  5. mark — a trace
  6. content — happy
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mug — a cup
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — the amount
  14. mug — a face
  15. court — of law
  16. kid — child
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. kid — to tease

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