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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. court — for sport
  3. key — in music
  4. net — for catching
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. net — after costs
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. net — in sport
  10. present — a gift
  11. key — for a lock
  12. game — wild animals
  13. court — of law
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bank — for money
  19. present — the time now
  20. court — of a king
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. present — there
  24. game — a match

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