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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. kick — in football
  4. file — a document
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. court — of law
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. file — a line of people
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — for sport
  18. file — a tool
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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