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 116 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: kick · leaves · court · nail · mug · safe · squash · pitcher

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. court — of a king
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. squash — the sport
  10. kick — in football
  11. court — of law
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. mug — a face
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mug — to rob
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. court — for sport
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mug — a cup
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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