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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. mark — a trace
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. court — for sport
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wake — a trail
  13. court — of law
  14. pop — to visit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bore — to tire
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pop — music
  24. court — of a king

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