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: wake · fine · court · stick · pop · game · season · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — a match
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. staff — employees
  8. game — wild animals
  9. pop — music
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pop — to visit
  12. season — of the year
  13. season — in sport
  14. wake — a trail
  15. court — of a king
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pop — soda
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. staff — employees
  20. court — for sport
  21. fine — all right
  22. court — of law
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. season — to add flavour

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