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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mark — a trace
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. court — for sport
  12. court — of law
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. chest — a box
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. chest — of your body
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. chest — of your body
  24. mark — a grade

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