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: charge · tube · racket · court · firm · ball · bank · spring

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. tube — a container
  3. charge — in control
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bank — for money
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bank — for money
  8. firm — decided
  9. bank — of a river
  10. court — of a king
  11. tube — the underground
  12. court — of law
  13. spring — the season
  14. charge — electricity
  15. firm — steady
  16. spring — of water
  17. charge — a price
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. court — for sport
  20. firm — a company
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. racket — for tennis

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