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: court · cue · racket · bay · bear · press · stand · squash

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. stand — to bear
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bear — the animal
  5. press — to push
  6. press — newspapers
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. press — a publisher
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. squash — the sport
  16. court — of law
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. court — of a king
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bear — to put up with

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