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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. net — in sport
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. net — for catching
  7. mark — a trace
  8. file — a document
  9. saw — the tool
  10. file — a tool
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. ball — a great time
  13. can — a tin
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. mark — a grade
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pass — a permit
  19. net — after costs
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. can — a tin
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. ball — a dance
  24. file — a line of people

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