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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. charge — in control
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. race — the arms race
  5. race — a contest
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. race — humankind
  9. charge — a price
  10. object — to protest
  11. board — a committee
  12. court — for sport
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. can — a tin
  15. board — to get on
  16. court — of law
  17. can — a tin
  18. object — a thing
  19. can — to be able to
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. shower — to wash
  22. shower — rain
  23. object — an aim
  24. charge — electricity

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