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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. kid — child
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. court — of a king
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. mug — a face
  8. court — of law
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. court — for sport
  14. mug — a cup
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. mug — to rob
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. ball — a great time
  23. snap — to click
  24. ball — a dance

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