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 116 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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bank — of a river
  5. fine — high quality
  6. court — of a king
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. prune — to trim
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bank — for money
  11. vault — a safe
  12. hand — in cards
  13. court — for sport
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bank — for money
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. hand — help
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. fine — all right
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mark — a grade
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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