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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fork — in a road
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — for sport
  6. scale — size or range
  7. court — of law
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. pop — music
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. drill — a practice
  12. mug — a cup
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mate — a partner
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. pop — soda
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — the tool
  21. scale — in music
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mug — a face

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