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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. shower — to wash
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. shower — rain
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. court — of law
  8. court — for sport
  9. charge — electricity
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. court — of a king
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. charge — in control
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. charge — a price
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pit — in a race
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fork — in a road
  24. pit — a hole

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