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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. court — of law
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. deal — to handle
  13. court — of a king
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. court — for sport
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. kick — in football
  19. fall — the season
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fall — to drop
  24. racket — a loud noise

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