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 120 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.
- The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
- Can you turn the ________________ on?
- Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
- Have you found your soul ________________?
- That was a fun ________________.
- Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
- It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
- It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
- I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
- I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
- Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
- I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
- Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
- My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
- Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
- Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
- Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
- Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
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