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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. key — the most important part
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fall — to drop
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fall — to drop
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bear — the animal
  15. march — the month
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. court — for sport
  18. key — in music
  19. march — the month
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. court — of law
  22. key — for a lock
  23. march — music
  24. fall — the season

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