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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. court — of law
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. net — for catching
  6. stand — to bear
  7. can — a tin
  8. net — after costs
  9. date — the fruit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. court — of a king
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. court — for sport
  17. branch — a division
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. can — a tin
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. can — to be able to
  24. cabinet — ministers

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