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 116 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: face · club · object · branch · wake · fine · court · cell

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. 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. fine — a penalty
  2. court — of law
  3. object — a thing
  4. wake — a trail
  5. face — to point toward
  6. club — for golf
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. fine — high quality
  11. branch — a division
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. face — part of the head
  14. fine — all right
  15. club — a group
  16. cell — a phone
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of a king
  19. object — to protest
  20. club — for dancing
  21. cell — in biology
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. face — to confront
  24. 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