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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. shower — rain
  5. club — for golf
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lie — to recline
  8. kick — in football
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — the cause
  13. ball — a great time
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. court — for sport
  16. root — of a word
  17. court — of a king
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. club — for dancing
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. court — of law
  22. club — a group
  23. shower — to wash
  24. lie — an untruth

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