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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. ball — a dance
  3. object — an aim
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. wound — an injury
  8. object — a thing
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. object — to protest
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. wound — an injury
  18. ball — a great time
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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