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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. court — of law
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cue — a signal
  9. fine — all right
  10. pop — to visit
  11. court — for sport
  12. fine — high quality
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cue — for pool
  19. pop — music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. saw — the tool
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pop — soda
  24. court — of a king

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