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: ball · cap · fan · lie · object · game · racket · mate

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. mate — a friend
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ball — a great time
  5. object — an aim
  6. mate — a partner
  7. cap — of ice
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. object — to protest
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. game — wild animals
  15. ball — a dance
  16. game — a match
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mate — to breed
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. object — a thing
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. cap — a hat

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