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: perch · present · stock · coach · court · cabinet · lie · deal

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. present — the time now
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stock — goods
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stock — shares
  13. court — of a king
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — to handle
  19. court — of law
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. present — there
  24. present — a gift

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