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: spring · hide · bark · court · mouse · deal · craft · mark

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  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. spring — the season
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — boats
  4. bark — to shout
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. deal — to handle
  14. spring — of water
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. mark — a trace
  19. court — of law
  20. spring — a coil
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. court — for sport
  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