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 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.

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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. scale — in music
  3. court — for sport
  4. land — to come down
  5. mate — a friend
  6. land — ground
  7. court — of law
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. court — of a king
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a partner
  17. craft — boats
  18. scale — size or range
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. craft — a skill
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. land — a country
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to succeed

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