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 120 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: spell · fine · bear · leaves · pop · racket · ball · chest

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. spell — a short time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — of your body
  8. spell — letters
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. ball — a great time
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. spell — magic
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pop — soda
  20. bear — the animal
  21. fine — high quality
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. chest — a box
  24. ball — a round shape

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