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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. fine — all right
  3. fall — the season
  4. fine — high quality
  5. court — for sport
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. foot — a measure
  8. fall — to drop
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. court — of a king
  17. chip — to eat
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fall — to drop
  20. chip — for betting
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. nail — on a finger

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