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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. pass — a permit
  3. court — of law
  4. court — of a king
  5. mark — a grade
  6. board — a committee
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. craft — a skill
  10. board — to get on
  11. court — for sport
  12. mark — a trace
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bulb — for light
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. rash — hasty
  20. craft — boats
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — a series
  24. mark — to pay attention

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