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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bass — low music
  5. court — of a king
  6. drill — army training
  7. net — after costs
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. ball — a great time
  11. net — for catching
  12. court — of law
  13. kick — in football
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rock — music
  16. net — in sport
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. court — for sport
  24. rock — a stone

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