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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. court — of a king
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. board — to get on
  7. court — for sport
  8. branch — a division
  9. pit — in a race
  10. spring — the season
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. board — a committee
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pit — a hole
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — of water
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. court — of law
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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