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 120 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. prune — to trim
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. club — for dancing
  11. fine — all right
  12. court — of law
  13. club — for golf
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. fine — high quality
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. prune — to trim
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — for sport
  20. club — a group
  21. wound — an injury
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fine — a penalty
  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