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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — a trail
  3. chest — of your body
  4. court — of a king
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. chest — a box
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. court — of law
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. club — for golf
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. court — for sport
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. club — a group
  20. chest — of your body
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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