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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. court — for sport
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. firm — a company
  8. rush — hurry
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — in sport
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. game — wild animals
  14. content — happy
  15. firm — decided
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. content — the amount
  18. game — a match
  19. plane — a tool
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. firm — steady
  22. net — after costs
  23. court — of a king
  24. court — of law

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