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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. can — a tin
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. degree — an amount
  5. swing — music
  6. can — a tin
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. swing — in golf
  11. branch — a division
  12. swing — to play on
  13. degree — temperature
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. can — to be able to
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. court — of a king
  21. degree — from a university
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. court — for sport
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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