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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. branch — a division
  3. spring — of water
  4. suit — to fit
  5. court — of law
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. race — a contest
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. race — the arms race
  10. spring — the season
  11. key — the most important part
  12. race — humankind
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. foot — a measure
  17. court — for sport
  18. key — in music
  19. spring — a coil
  20. court — of a king
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pitcher — a jug

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