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: spell · march · court · craft · calf · deal · ball · plane

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. craft — a skill
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. ball — a dance
  5. court — of a king
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. ball — a great time
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. march — the month
  11. court — of law
  12. craft — boats
  13. march — the month
  14. march — music
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. spell — magic
  17. deal — to handle
  18. spell — a short time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. spell — letters
  24. plane — a tool

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