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: court · pass · rush · craft · mine · foot · cell · racket

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pass — a permit
  4. cell — in biology
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. cell — a phone
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. rush — hurry
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mine — for digging
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. court — of law
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. court — for sport
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. court — of a king
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — a skill
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. foot — a measure
  24. craft — boats

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