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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. last — final
  3. court — for sport
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. club — a group
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. club — for dancing
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. court — of a king
  13. squash — the sport
  14. club — for golf
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — in a race
  18. rush — hurry
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. squash — to crush
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. last — finally
  23. last — to go on
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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