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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. rest — a break
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cap — of ice
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of a king
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. ground — the earth
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bass — low music
  17. cap — a hat
  18. rest — what's left
  19. court — of law
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. ground — crushed
  22. cue — a signal
  23. ground — a position
  24. plane — a tool

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