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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rock — a stone
  7. court — of law
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. court — for sport
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rock — music
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. toast — bread
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bulb — for light
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — a container
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fan — a supporter

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