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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. row — a line
  4. foot — a measure
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. game — wild animals
  7. court — for sport
  8. court — of a king
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. court — of law
  13. mark — a trace
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. row — to paddle
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. game — a match
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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