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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. charge — a price
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. court — for sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — to play on
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. charge — in control
  14. bank — for money
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bank — of a river
  17. court — of a king
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. swing — music
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. charge — electricity
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. arm — part of the body

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