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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — of law
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. cap — of ice
  10. court — for sport
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. scale — size or range
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. cap — a lid
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. scale — in music
  21. cap — a hat
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pit — a hole
  24. nail — for a hammer

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