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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. fine — high quality
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. spell — a short time
  6. chip — to eat
  7. fine — all right
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. date — the fruit
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — of law
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. spell — letters
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. wound — an injury
  24. court — for sport

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