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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. game — a match
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. can — a tin
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — wild animals
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. wax — to grow
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bowl — a dish

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