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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. present — the time now
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. court — of a king
  9. present — there
  10. craft — a skill
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. court — of law
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. mine — for digging
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bat — the animal
  21. court — for sport
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. craft — boats

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