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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. plane — a tool
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — for sport
  6. key — for a lock
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. key — in music
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. firm — steady
  11. court — of law
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. cue — a hint
  15. firm — decided
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — in sport
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. key — the most important part
  23. board — a committee
  24. firm — a company

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