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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. pit — a hole
  3. stand — to bear
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. land — to come down
  6. court — for sport
  7. bass — the fish
  8. key — in music
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. pit — in a race
  11. court — of a king
  12. bass — low music
  13. land — ground
  14. land — a country
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. key — the most important part
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. court — of law
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. kick — in football
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. key — for a lock

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