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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. court — of a king
  3. staff — employees
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. firm — a company
  6. staff — a stick
  7. track — to keep track
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bark — to shout
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. staff — employees
  15. court — of law
  16. court — for sport
  17. track — a path
  18. suit — clothes
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — decided
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. suit — to fit

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