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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. court — of a king
  5. ball — a dance
  6. row — to paddle
  7. pop — music
  8. row — a line
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. mine — for digging
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. stand — to bear
  15. ball — a great time
  16. court — of law
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. court — for sport
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pop — soda
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bulb — for light

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