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: club · track · stand · mouse · court · snap · arm · kid

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. track — a song
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. court — of law
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. court — for sport
  9. kid — child
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to click
  13. club — a group
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. club — for golf
  16. track — to keep track
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. kid — to tease
  19. club — for dancing
  20. stand — to bear
  21. track — a path
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mouse — the animal
  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