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 · charge · wax · chair · clip · pit · craft · stick

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. court — of a king
  3. craft — a skill
  4. clip — for paper
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. pit — in a race
  7. wax — to grow
  8. clip — a video
  9. court — of law
  10. court — for sport
  11. clip — to cut
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. chair — a leader
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. craft — boats
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. charge — in control
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. chair — a professorship

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