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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. club — for dancing
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of a king
  7. board — to get on
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. firm — a company
  10. perch — the fish
  11. club — a group
  12. firm — decided
  13. tear — to rip
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. toast — bread
  16. tear — from crying
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. tear — from crying
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. firm — steady
  23. court — of law
  24. perch — for a bird

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