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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: foot · court · safe · suit · season · deal

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. season — of the year
  3. court — for sport
  4. court — of law
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. court — of a king
  14. foot — a measure
  15. deal — to handle
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. suit — clothes
  18. safe — out of danger

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