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: leaves · court · key · fork · can · chest · face · deal

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. face — to point toward
  3. court — of a king
  4. chest — of your body
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. key — the most important part
  8. court — of law
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. chest — a box
  12. can — a tin
  13. key — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. can — to be able to
  16. face — to confront
  17. chest — of your body
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. face — part of the head
  20. fork — in a road
  21. can — a tin
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — to handle

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