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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · ball · rush · swing · court · deal · fall · kid

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. drill — the tool
  5. deal — to handle
  6. swing — in golf
  7. drill — army training
  8. swing — music
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. ball — a dance
  12. court — for sport
  13. kid — child
  14. fall — to drop
  15. ball — a great time
  16. swing — to play on
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. court — of law
  19. kid — to tease
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. court — of a king
  24. drill — a practice

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