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: firm · mate · wax · court · fork · branch · net · vault

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. court — of law
  3. court — of a king
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. fork — in a road
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. firm — a company
  8. mate — to breed
  9. net — after costs
  10. court — for sport
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. firm — decided
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — a friend
  15. vault — a safe
  16. wax — to grow
  17. firm — steady
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. net — for catching
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. branch — a division
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. fork — to eat 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