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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. hand — in cards
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bear — the animal
  5. court — of a king
  6. chest — of your body
  7. suit — clothes
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chest — a box
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. suit — to fit
  15. chip — to eat
  16. saw — the tool
  17. court — for sport
  18. suit — in cards
  19. chip — for betting
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. hand — help
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bear — to put up with

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