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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. pit — a hole
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. court — for sport
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. stock — shares
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pit — in a race
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — goods
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. court — of law
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. fork — in a road

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