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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. land — ground
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. firm — decided
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. land — to come down
  9. key — the most important part
  10. kick — in football
  11. firm — steady
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. key — in music
  17. court — of law
  18. firm — a company
  19. land — a country
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. chair — a leader
  22. key — for a lock
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of a king

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