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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. fork — in a road
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. suit — clothes
  9. spring — of water
  10. wax — to grow
  11. suit — in cards
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. ball — a dance
  16. spring — the season
  17. game — wild animals
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — in sport
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. game — a match
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. ball — a great time

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