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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. court — for sport
  4. court — of law
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cue — a signal
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. cue — a hint
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. court — of a king
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cue — for pool
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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