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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. tube — a container
  4. mark — a grade
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. tube — the underground
  13. wake — a trail
  14. court — for sport
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. drill — a practice
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. drill — the tool
  23. date — the fruit
  24. cabinet — ministers

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