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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. ball — a dance
  4. wake — a trail
  5. court — of law
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. court — of a king
  10. season — in sport
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. scale — size or range
  13. court — for sport
  14. season — of the year
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. scale — in music
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — thin
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. cabinet — ministers

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