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

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. scale — in music
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of a king
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bore — to tire
  11. court — of law
  12. sharp — clever
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bore — to drill
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. scale — size or range

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