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: game · suit · hide · pit · scale · board · squash · court

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. pit — in a race
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. scale — in music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. squash — the sport
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — a hole
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — size or range
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a committee
  20. squash — to crush
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. game — a match
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of law

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