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 120 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: fork · court · bat · trunk · chip · mouse · cell · can

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. court — of a king
  8. can — a tin
  9. fork — in a road
  10. can — to be able to
  11. court — for sport
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. cell — a phone
  14. can — a tin
  15. court — of law
  16. bat — the animal
  17. chip — to eat
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cell — in biology
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. fork — a garden tool

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