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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. swing — music
  5. season — in sport
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bat — the animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mate — a partner
  10. object — an aim
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. object — to protest
  13. ball — a great time
  14. swing — in golf
  15. season — of the year
  16. object — a thing
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. mate — to breed
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. mate — a friend
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. ball — a dance

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