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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. court — of law
  4. ball — a great time
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. ball — a dance
  8. deal — to handle
  9. court — of a king
  10. court — for sport
  11. spell — a short time
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. can — to be able to
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. key — in music
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — magic
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — the most important part

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