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: rest · game · court · chair · present · fine · ball · bore

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. present — a gift
  3. court — for sport
  4. present — there
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bore — to tire
  7. fine — high quality
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. present — the time now
  13. court — of a king
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. chair — a leader
  16. fine — all right
  17. ball — a dance
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rest — a break
  21. bore — to drill
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. court — of law
  24. game — a match

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