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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. mark — a grade
  3. court — of a king
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. court — of law
  6. spring — the season
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. spring — of water
  9. staff — employees
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. mark — a trace
  12. charge — in control
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. charge — electricity
  15. root — of a plant
  16. court — for sport
  17. root — the cause
  18. spring — a coil
  19. charge — a price
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. staff — employees
  23. root — of a word
  24. staff — a stick

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