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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. court — of law
  5. court — for sport
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. fine — high quality
  8. roll — a cake
  9. fine — all right
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. court — of a king
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. roll — a list
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. plane — a tool
  22. firm — a company
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pitcher — a jug

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