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: press · branch · calf · bass · court · cue · mark · rock

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. mark — a trace
  6. court — of law
  7. bass — the fish
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. cue — a signal
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rock — a stone
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bass — low music
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. cue — for pool
  18. mark — a grade
  19. cue — a hint
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. court — for sport
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — to push

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