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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. court — of a king
  3. file — a document
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. file — a line of people
  6. rock — music
  7. court — for sport
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cue — for pool
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. lie — to recline
  13. court — of law
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. foot — a measure
  17. rock — a stone
  18. file — a tool
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cue — a hint
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. cue — a signal

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