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: bound · can · season · race · court · pitch · suit · bay

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. court — of law
  3. season — in sport
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. race — a contest
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bound — obliged
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. race — the arms race
  10. season — of the year
  11. bound — certain
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. suit — clothes
  14. court — for sport
  15. race — humankind
  16. bound — tied together
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. can — a tin
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. can — a tin
  22. pitch — completely
  23. suit — to fit
  24. court — of a king

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