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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. vault — a safe
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — to handle
  6. court — of a king
  7. court — for sport
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. mark — a grade
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mine — for digging
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mark — a trace
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bear — the animal
  24. perch — the fish

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