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: mug · bulb · stick · hand · leaves · mark · capital · court

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mug — a face
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. mug — to rob
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mug — a cup
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mark — a trace
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. capital — money
  18. hand — help
  19. court — of a king
  20. capital — a city
  21. bulb — for light
  22. court — for sport
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. hand — in cards

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