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: fine · prune · court · wake · ball · lie · dip · spring

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to sink
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. court — for sport
  5. spring — of water
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fine — all right
  10. court — of law
  11. wake — a trail
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lie — to recline
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. fine — high quality
  17. spring — a coil
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. spring — the season
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. ball — a great time
  23. court — of a king
  24. prune — to trim

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