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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. wake — a trail
  5. perch — the fish
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. court — of law
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bass — the fish
  13. court — of a king
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — an aim
  16. board — to get on
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. object — a thing
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bass — low music
  21. board — a committee
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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