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 124 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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. mate — to breed
  4. tube — a container
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bark — to shout
  9. mate — a partner
  10. court — of law
  11. face — to confront
  12. tube — the underground
  13. face — part of the head
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. object — to protest
  16. court — for sport
  17. craft — boats
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mate — a friend
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — an aim
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. face — to point toward

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