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 120 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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. net — in sport
  3. court — of a king
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of law
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. branch — a division
  11. track — a song
  12. charge — electricity
  13. net — for catching
  14. pop — music
  15. track — a path
  16. charge — in control
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. net — after costs
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — to visit
  21. track — to keep track
  22. charge — a price
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. key — in music

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