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: court · board · stand · stick · spring · craft · charge · tear

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. tear — from crying
  3. court — of law
  4. court — for sport
  5. stand — to bear
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. board — a committee
  8. spring — the season
  9. court — of a king
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. tear — from crying
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. charge — in control
  16. craft — boats
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — of water
  19. tear — to rip
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. craft — a skill
  22. board — to get on
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stand — for spectators

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