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 120 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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. swing — to play on
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. staff — employees
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. court — for sport
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. kick — in football
  10. swing — music
  11. object — to protest
  12. court — of law
  13. staff — employees
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bat — the animal
  16. foot — a measure
  17. craft — boats
  18. swing — in golf
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. object — a thing
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. court — of a king
  24. object — an aim

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