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: pop · plane · court · kick · charge · mark · ball · rash

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pop — music
  5. mark — a trace
  6. plane — a tool
  7. ball — a dance
  8. court — of law
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. charge — a price
  12. court — of a king
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. pop — to visit
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — hasty
  18. ball — a great time
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pop — soda
  21. kick — in football
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. charge — in control
  24. mark — a grade

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