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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bore — to tire
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. club — for dancing
  7. ball — a dance
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. court — of law
  10. spell — magic
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. club — a group
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bore — to drill
  15. court — for sport
  16. ball — a great time
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. court — of a king
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. spell — letters
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. spell — a short time
  23. club — for golf
  24. lie — an untruth

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