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: vault · court · bay · kid · rush · chip · bore · ball

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. vault — a safe
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. court — for sport
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bore — to drill
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. kid — child
  20. court — of law
  21. kid — to tease
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. chip — to eat
  24. ball — a great time

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