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: stick · net · bowl · bank · court · date · root · fine

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. net — for catching
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. court — of a king
  8. date — the fruit
  9. root — of a plant
  10. net — after costs
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. root — the cause
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bank — for money
  18. court — for sport
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. court — of law
  21. net — in sport
  22. root — of a word
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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