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: ball · cabinet · court · craft · trunk · bay · cell · stock

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — goods
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cell — a phone
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. stock — shares
  11. court — for sport
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ball — a dance
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. court — of a king
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. court — of law

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