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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. current — happening now
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. suit — in cards
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rock — a stone
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. court — of law
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. current — electric
  14. current — of water
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. court — of a king
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. rock — music
  20. snap — to click
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fall — the season
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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