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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. suit — in cards
  5. game — a match
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. suit — to fit
  9. wake — a trail
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. game — wild animals
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. suit — clothes
  20. hand — help
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. hand — in cards
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. fan — a supporter

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