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 116 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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. row — to paddle
  3. charge — in control
  4. court — of law
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. object — a thing
  7. swing — music
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. court — for sport
  10. object — to protest
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bound — certain
  13. row — a line
  14. mug — a face
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bound — tied together
  18. rush — hurry
  19. charge — a price
  20. mug — to rob
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bound — obliged
  23. object — an aim
  24. swing — in golf

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