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

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. firm — decided
  3. court — for sport
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a leader
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fall — to drop
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. fall — to drop
  11. spring — the season
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. court — of law
  14. court — of a king
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. firm — steady
  19. spring — of water
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. firm — a company
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. spring — a coil

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