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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. row — to paddle
  5. staff — employees
  6. court — of a king
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pit — a hole
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. court — for sport
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pit — in a race
  18. row — a line
  19. kick — in football
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — a stick
  22. court — of law
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. leaves — lets stay

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