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 116 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. court — of law
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. court — for sport
  8. swing — in golf
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. rule — government
  12. suit — clothes
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. swing — music
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rule — a law
  18. mark — a trace
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mark — a grade
  23. court — of a king
  24. bowl — a football final

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