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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. court — of a king
  3. dip — to sink
  4. roll — a cake
  5. spring — the season
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. spring — a coil
  8. cue — for pool
  9. ball — a great time
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. spring — of water
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. firm — decided
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cue — a signal
  17. firm — a company
  18. wake — a trail
  19. court — for sport
  20. firm — steady
  21. roll — a list
  22. court — of law
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. cue — a hint

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