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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pound — a weight
  4. court — for sport
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. row — to paddle
  7. root — of a word
  8. ball — a great time
  9. root — the cause
  10. mug — a cup
  11. face — to point toward
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. face — to confront
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. court — of law
  17. court — of a king
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. snap — to click
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. mug — a face
  23. root — of a plant
  24. row — a line

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