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: court · craft · bulb · fan · fine · can · straw · deal

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. deal — to handle
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. craft — boats
  9. can — a tin
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. court — of law
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fine — all right
  22. court — for sport
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. craft — a skill

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