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 120 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. court — of a king
  3. root — the cause
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. court — for sport
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. court — of law
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. mug — a face
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mug — to rob
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — all right
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. root — of a word
  21. mine — for digging
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. root — of a plant
  24. mug — a cup

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