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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. press — to push
  3. court — for sport
  4. cue — a hint
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fall — the season
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. drill — a practice
  12. court — of a king
  13. fall — to drop
  14. can — a tin
  15. cue — a signal
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cue — for pool
  18. drill — army training
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. press — a publisher
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. drill — the tool
  24. press — newspapers

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