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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. ground — a position
  3. scale — in music
  4. ground — crushed
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. court — for sport
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bulb — for light
  12. court — of law
  13. mate — a partner
  14. court — of a king
  15. mate — a friend
  16. toast — bread
  17. bulb — for light
  18. game — a match
  19. ball — a great time
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ground — the earth
  23. scale — size or range
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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