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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. content — the amount
  3. fork — in a road
  4. board — a committee
  5. craft — a skill
  6. object — an aim
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a word
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. board — to get on
  12. root — of a plant
  13. court — of law
  14. object — a thing
  15. craft — boats
  16. content — happy
  17. court — of a king
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. object — to protest
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. board — a flat piece

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