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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. court — of a king
  7. rest — a break
  8. cue — a hint
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pound — a weight
  15. court — of law
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. shower — rain
  18. rest — what's left
  19. court — for sport
  20. shower — to wash
  21. cue — a signal
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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