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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. cell — in biology
  4. kick — in football
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. shower — to wash
  7. court — of law
  8. tear — to rip
  9. cell — a phone
  10. shower — rain
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. tear — from crying
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. tear — from crying
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. cue — a hint
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. court — for sport

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