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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. spring — the season
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. content — the amount
  12. spring — of water
  13. court — of a king
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. spring — a coil
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. court — of law
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. court — for sport

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