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 124 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. tear — to rip
  3. court — of a king
  4. clip — a video
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. clip — to cut
  9. can — a tin
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bass — low music
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. tear — from crying
  14. court — of law
  15. field — farmland
  16. court — for sport
  17. can — to be able to
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — a subject
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. clip — for paper
  22. bass — the fish
  23. can — a tin
  24. bowl — a dish

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