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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. firm — steady
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. firm — decided
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. content — happy
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. deal — to handle
  14. firm — a company
  15. cue — a signal
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. cue — for pool
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. ball — a dance
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. content — the amount
  23. cue — a hint
  24. coach — a trainer

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