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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  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. court — of a king
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. drill — a practice
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. current — electric
  6. firm — decided
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. drill — the tool
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bat — the animal
  12. craft — a skill
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. pitch — completely
  16. court — of law
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. firm — steady
  21. drill — army training
  22. craft — boats
  23. court — for sport
  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