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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. suit — in cards
  6. branch — a division
  7. bark — to shout
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. suit — clothes
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. current — happening now
  15. bear — the animal
  16. suit — to fit
  17. court — for sport
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. current — of water
  22. court — of a king
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. current — electric

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