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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wake — a trail
  4. suit — in cards
  5. game — a match
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. ball — a dance
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. game — wild animals
  10. suit — clothes
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. row — a line
  13. pop — music
  14. row — to paddle
  15. pop — to visit
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pop — soda
  18. court — of a king
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. court — of law
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. court — for sport

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