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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. race — humankind
  3. lean — thin
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. object — a thing
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. court — for sport
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — to bend
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. race — a contest
  12. prune — to trim
  13. foot — a measure
  14. object — to protest
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. dip — to sink
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. object — an aim
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. race — the arms race
  22. court — of law
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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