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 120 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. court — for sport
  4. court — of law
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rest — a break
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. foot — a measure
  10. firm — decided
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bear — the animal
  13. kick — in football
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. rest — what's left
  18. firm — steady
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. firm — a company
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. racket — for tennis

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