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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pass — a permit
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. spell — magic
  11. foot — a measure
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. spell — a short time
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mine — for digging
  24. spell — letters

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