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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. court — of a king
  3. firm — a company
  4. court — of law
  5. craft — boats
  6. ground — a position
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. bank — for money
  9. cell — in biology
  10. ground — crushed
  11. court — for sport
  12. cell — a phone
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. craft — a skill
  16. firm — decided
  17. ground — the earth
  18. firm — steady

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