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: spring · swing · board · court · bear · bark · dip · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bear — the animal
  3. court — of law
  4. bear — the animal
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. court — for sport
  7. stand — to bear
  8. board — a committee
  9. spring — the season
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. spring — of water
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — to sink
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bark — to shout
  17. swing — in golf
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. court — of a king
  20. swing — music
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. swing — to play on
  23. board — to get on
  24. bark — of a tree

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