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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to confront
  4. craft — boats
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. court — of law
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. court — of a king
  10. craft — a skill
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. court — for sport
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rule — a law
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rule — government
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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