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 116 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. game — a match
  3. court — for sport
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bear — the animal
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. staff — employees
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. staff — a stick
  12. court — of law
  13. bear — the animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. stand — to bear
  18. game — wild animals
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. staff — employees
  22. court — of a king
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — to eat with

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