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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. can — to be able to
  3. face — to point toward
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. court — for sport
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. can — a tin
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. face — to confront
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pitch — completely
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. court — of a king
  23. snap — to click
  24. can — a tin

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