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: pass · sharp · pop · ball · trunk · court · staff · face

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pop — music
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. staff — employees
  6. pop — soda
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — a permit
  9. court — of law
  10. face — part of the head
  11. staff — employees
  12. face — to point toward
  13. court — for sport
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. ball — a dance
  17. sharp — clever
  18. court — of a king
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. face — to confront
  21. pop — to visit
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. ball — a great time
  24. staff — a stick

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