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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. court — of law
  7. lean — thin
  8. band — a ring
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lean — to bend
  11. charge — a price
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rock — music
  15. charge — electricity
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. charge — in control
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. court — of a king
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. rock — a stone

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