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: bowl · can · court · perch · lie · vault · chest · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. lie — to recline
  5. court — of law
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. chest — of your body
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. chest — of your body
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. chest — a box
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. court — for sport
  22. can — a tin
  23. court — of a king
  24. lie — an untruth

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