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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. spring — the season
  3. can — a tin
  4. perch — the fish
  5. court — for sport
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wake — a trail
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. can — a tin
  14. chip — to eat
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. spring — of water
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. can — to be able to
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. spring — a coil
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. court — of law
  24. nail — on a finger

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