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: rock · court · last · cabinet · bat · club · spell · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. club — for dancing
  3. last — final
  4. rock — a stone
  5. club — a group
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. last — to go on
  8. club — for golf
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. board — to get on
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. court — of a king
  16. last — finally
  17. spell — magic
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. spell — a short time
  20. rock — music
  21. board — a committee
  22. spell — letters
  23. court — of law
  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