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: object · court · arm · kid · bowl · coach

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. court — for sport
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. object — a thing
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. court — of a king
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. kid — child
  16. court — of law
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — an aim

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