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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. chair — a leader
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. court — of law
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. firm — decided
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rash — hasty
  15. roll — a cake
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. firm — a company
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pit — in a race
  20. roll — a list
  21. court — of a king
  22. rash — a series
  23. court — for sport
  24. pit — a hole

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