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 116 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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. court — for sport
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. court — of law
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. present — the time now
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. present — there
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. court — of a king
  12. present — a gift
  13. snap — to click
  14. cap — of ice
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bulb — for light
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. board — a committee
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. cap — a lid
  23. board — to get on
  24. bulb — for light

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