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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. squash — the sport
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rule — government
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a ring
  7. ground — a position
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. court — of law
  12. court — of a king
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. court — for sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rule — a law
  18. squash — to crush
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ball — a great time
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ground — crushed

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