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: cap · court · pitcher · row · ball · bulb · foot · coach

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ball — a dance
  6. cap — of ice
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. row — to paddle
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. cap — a hat
  12. court — of law
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bulb — for light
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. ball — a great time
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. row — a line
  24. court — for sport

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