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: bear · mine · ball · file · racket · firm · plane · court

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. court — of law
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — for sport
  6. mine — for digging
  7. firm — steady
  8. file — a document
  9. bear — the animal
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. firm — a company
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. plane — a tool
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. firm — decided
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ball — a great time
  22. file — a line of people
  23. file — a tool
  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