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 120 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. key — in music
  4. ball — a dance
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. key — the most important part
  11. deal — to handle
  12. court — for sport
  13. board — a committee
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — of law
  21. board — to get on
  22. key — for a lock
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. ball — a great time

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