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 116 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. shower — to wash
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. spring — of water
  6. court — of a king
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mine — for digging
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. shower — rain
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. spring — a coil
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. court — of law
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. spring — the season
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. court — for sport
  24. ruler — for measuring

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