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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. craft — boats
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — high quality
  5. court — of a king
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. court — for sport
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. craft — a skill
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. court — of law
  13. staff — employees
  14. spell — letters
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. fine — all right
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. staff — employees
  21. spell — a short time
  22. staff — a stick
  23. spell — magic
  24. bowl — a football final

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