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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. branch — a division
  7. rush — hurry
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. plane — a tool
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. pound — a weight
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. court — for sport
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. court — of a king
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. fan — a supporter

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