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

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. court — of law
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. shower — rain
  8. pit — a hole
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. craft — boats
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. shower — to wash
  21. craft — a skill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. court — of a king
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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