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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cell — in biology
  5. court — of a king
  6. spell — magic
  7. kick — in football
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bear — the animal
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. spell — a short time
  13. drill — army training
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. mate — a friend
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cell — a phone
  18. drill — the tool
  19. court — of law
  20. court — for sport
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. spell — letters
  24. mate — to breed

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