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: content · bore · foot · ball · march · court · trunk · craft

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  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. march — music
  2. court — of law
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. craft — a skill
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. foot — a measure
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. craft — boats
  10. content — the amount
  11. bore — to tire
  12. march — the month
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. march — the month
  15. content — happy
  16. bore — to drill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. court — for sport
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. trunk — of a car
  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