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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. last — to go on
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. row — to paddle
  9. spring — a coil
  10. can — a tin
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. can — to be able to
  13. spring — of water
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. scale — size or range
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. can — a tin
  19. last — finally
  20. scale — in music
  21. last — final
  22. row — a line
  23. ball — a great time
  24. racket — for tennis

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