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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. court — of a king
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. game — wild animals
  8. swing — music
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. snap — to click
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. court — of law
  13. swing — to play on
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. key — in music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. key — for a lock
  19. court — for sport
  20. mug — a cup
  21. key — the most important part
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. game — a match
  24. mug — to rob

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