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: spell · racket · pitcher · bear · chair · court · dip · present

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. present — the time now
  3. court — of law
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bear — the animal
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bear — the animal
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — magic
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. court — of a king
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. present — there
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — to sink
  16. chair — a leader
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. court — for sport
  24. present — a gift

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