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 120 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: mark · prune · court · fan · vault · swing · bound · mouse

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — music
  5. court — for sport
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bound — tied together
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bound — certain
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. prune — to trim
  14. court — of law
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mark — a trace
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bound — obliged
  22. court — of a king
  23. vault — a safe
  24. mouse — the animal

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