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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. tube — the underground
  9. season — in sport
  10. dip — to sink
  11. tube — a container
  12. mug — a face
  13. key — the most important part
  14. mug — to rob
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. roll — a cake
  17. key — for a lock
  18. season — of the year
  19. court — of law
  20. court — of a king
  21. mug — a cup
  22. roll — a list
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. key — in music

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