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: saw · spell · cap · court · stick · mark · rest · hide

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cap — a hat
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. court — of law
  9. rest — what's left
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mark — a trace
  12. cap — of ice
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mark — a grade
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. rest — a break
  22. cap — a lid
  23. court — for sport
  24. hide — to keep secret

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