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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mate — to breed
  3. field — a subject
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. current — of water
  6. mate — a friend
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — to confront
  9. ball — a dance
  10. lie — to recline
  11. spell — a short time
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spell — letters
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. face — part of the head
  16. spell — magic
  17. current — electric
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. field — for sport
  21. ball — a great time
  22. current — happening now
  23. field — farmland
  24. mate — a partner

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