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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. court — for sport
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. court — of law
  6. squash — to crush
  7. ball — a dance
  8. stock — goods
  9. bound — obliged
  10. ball — a great time
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bound — certain
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cap — a hat
  17. court — of a king
  18. bound — tied together
  19. squash — the sport
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. wake — a trail
  23. charge — in control
  24. stock — shares

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