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: rush · bay · trunk · ball · chair · object · stand · court

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rush — hurry
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. court — for sport
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. object — a thing
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. object — to protest
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. object — an aim
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. ball — a dance
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. court — of law
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. stand — to bear
  24. court — of a king

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