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: fork · key · court · cap · perch · rule · squash · present

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — a gift
  3. key — in music
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. cap — a hat
  7. fork — in a road
  8. cap — of ice
  9. squash — to crush
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cap — a lid
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. court — of a king
  14. rule — a law
  15. present — the time now
  16. rule — government
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. court — of law
  20. court — for sport
  21. key — the most important part
  22. squash — the sport
  23. key — for a lock
  24. fork — to eat with

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