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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. firm — decided
  6. court — of a king
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — crushed
  11. suit — in cards
  12. ball — a dance
  13. court — of law
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. firm — a company
  16. lie — to recline
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. firm — steady
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ground — the earth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. ball — a great time

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