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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. court — of law
  5. suit — clothes
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bank — for money
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bank — for money
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bank — of a river
  12. plane — a tool
  13. suit — to fit
  14. tear — from crying
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — decided
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. firm — a company
  20. suit — in cards
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. tear — to rip
  23. court — of a king
  24. bowl — a football final

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