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 · net · vault · can · chair · scale · fan · deal

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. deal — to handle
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. vault — a safe
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. court — of law
  7. scale — size or range
  8. scale — in music
  9. net — in sport
  10. chair — a leader
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. can — a tin
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. net — after costs
  16. court — for sport
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. can — to be able to
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. can — a tin
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. net — for catching
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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