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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bore — to tire
  4. band — a ring
  5. stock — goods
  6. band — a music group
  7. stock — shares
  8. court — for sport
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bore — to drill
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. court — of a king
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. object — a thing
  16. firm — decided
  17. object — to protest
  18. pitch — completely
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. firm — steady
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. firm — a company
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. object — an aim

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