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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — to rob
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. court — of a king
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cap — of ice
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — in biology
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. court — of law
  19. cell — a phone
  20. mug — a cup
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cabinet — ministers

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