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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. court — for sport
  3. rock — a stone
  4. court — of law
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. court — of a king
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bark — to shout
  10. swing — in golf
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. chip — to eat
  16. swing — music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stock — goods
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stock — shares
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. rock — music

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