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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. present — the time now
  3. staff — employees
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. court — of law
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. band — a ring
  8. present — a gift
  9. pit — a hole
  10. staff — employees
  11. court — for sport
  12. can — to be able to
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. can — a tin
  15. present — there
  16. band — a music group
  17. staff — a stick
  18. pit — in a race
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. can — a tin
  24. band — a rubber band

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