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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stock — shares
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. can — a tin
  9. ball — a great time
  10. can — a tin
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. ball — a dance
  14. suit — clothes
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — for sport
  17. bore — to tire
  18. stock — goods
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bore — to drill
  21. can — to be able to
  22. court — of law
  23. date — the fruit
  24. date — on the calendar

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