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: game · fan · court · pop · track · jam · cue · can

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. cue — a hint
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. court — for sport
  5. pop — to visit
  6. can — a tin
  7. cue — for pool
  8. game — wild animals
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. track — to keep track
  13. court — of law
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. track — a song
  16. game — a match
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. court — of a king
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cue — a signal
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. pop — music
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pop — soda

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