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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. court — of a king
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. spring — the season
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. court — for sport
  8. bass — low music
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. object — an aim
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. object — a thing
  13. court — of law
  14. mark — a trace
  15. spring — of water
  16. spring — a coil
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mark — a grade
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — the fish
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. object — to protest

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