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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. court — for sport
  12. court — of law
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bat — the animal
  16. ground — a position
  17. hand — in cards
  18. court — of a king
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bass — low music
  21. hand — help
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. ruler — for measuring

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