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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bore — to tire
  3. court — for sport
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bore — to drill
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. ball — a dance
  12. land — a country
  13. land — ground
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. court — of law
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. content — the amount
  19. land — to come down
  20. court — of a king
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. content — happy
  24. ruler — a monarch

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