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: fork · bass · craft · trunk · key · court · cabinet · foot

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. craft — boats
  4. court — of law
  5. key — the most important part
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bass — low music
  9. foot — a measure
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. court — for sport
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. key — in music
  16. bass — the fish
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. key — for a lock
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. craft — a skill
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. court — of a king

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