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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. court — of a king
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. file — a document
  7. rest — what's left
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. content — happy
  13. file — a tool
  14. rest — what's left
  15. court — of law
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pitch — completely
  19. dip — to sink
  20. file — a line of people
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. court — for sport
  24. content — the amount

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