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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. can — a tin
  3. stand — to bear
  4. court — of law
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. net — in sport
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. court — of a king
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. net — for catching
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. court — for sport
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. club — a group
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. can — a tin
  20. club — for golf
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. net — after costs
  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