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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. court — for sport
  3. cap — a hat
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mug — a cup
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — of law
  12. mug — to rob
  13. clip — to cut
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. ball — a great time
  16. track — to keep track
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. track — a song
  19. deal — to handle
  20. cap — of ice
  21. clip — a video
  22. mug — a face
  23. clip — for paper
  24. track — a path

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