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: kick · pitcher · mug · court · bowl · ball · lean · lie

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mug — to rob
  3. kick — in football
  4. court — of law
  5. court — for sport
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. lean — thin
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mug — a face
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mug — a cup
  21. court — of a king
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lean — to bend
  24. ball — a dance

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