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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. court — of a king
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. club — a group
  9. object — a thing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. court — for sport
  12. scale — in music
  13. club — for golf
  14. object — to protest
  15. shower — to wash
  16. court — of law
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. pit — in a race
  20. foot — a measure
  21. club — for dancing
  22. shower — rain
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. object — an aim

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