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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. face — to point toward
  4. tear — from crying
  5. fine — high quality
  6. suit — clothes
  7. game — a match
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. date — the fruit
  10. court — of a king
  11. tear — from crying
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. ball — a great time
  14. game — wild animals
  15. ball — a dance
  16. face — part of the head
  17. suit — to fit
  18. tear — to rip
  19. face — to confront
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. fine — all right
  22. suit — in cards
  23. court — of law
  24. court — for sport

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