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: season · ball · craft · board · hide · staff · mate · court

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mate — a friend
  6. staff — a stick
  7. ball — a dance
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. court — of a king
  10. court — of law
  11. board — to get on
  12. mate — to breed
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. season — of the year
  15. craft — boats
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. court — for sport
  19. ball — a great time
  20. staff — employees
  21. craft — a skill
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. staff — employees
  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