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: bowl · row · jam · lie · court · fall · spring · suit

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. row — a line
  3. court — for sport
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. row — to paddle
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. court — of law
  8. fall — to drop
  9. suit — in cards
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. court — of a king
  12. suit — to fit
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fall — the season
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. suit — clothes
  21. spring — of water
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. spring — a coil
  24. fall — to drop

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