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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. court — for sport
  3. chip — to eat
  4. court — of a king
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. chip — for betting
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. chest — a box
  9. chest — of your body
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chest — of your body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rest — a break
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — a division
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. branch — of a bank

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