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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mark — a trace
  4. season — of the year
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. court — of a king
  7. court — of law
  8. court — for sport
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. mark — a grade
  16. rash — hasty
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rash — a series
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. season — in sport
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mine — belonging to me

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