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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bore — to tire
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. present — there
  8. bore — to drill
  9. scale — size or range
  10. court — of a king
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. chair — a leader
  13. court — for sport
  14. present — the time now
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. deal — to handle
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. court — of law
  23. present — a gift
  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