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 116 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. court — of a king
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. court — of law
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wake — a trail
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. court — for sport
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. mark — a trace
  18. ball — a dance
  19. fine — high quality
  20. mark — a grade
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — in football
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. fine — all right

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