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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. court — of a king
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. craft — boats
  6. tube — the underground
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. court — of law
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fall — to drop
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pitch — completely
  17. fall — to drop
  18. court — for sport
  19. fall — the season
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. craft — a skill
  22. tube — a container
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. cabinet — ministers

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