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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. sharp — clever
  3. object — a thing
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. court — of law
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. fork — in a road
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. court — of a king
  15. object — an aim
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. object — to protest
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pass — a permit
  24. dip — to sink

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