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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — for sport
  4. object — an aim
  5. net — after costs
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. object — a thing
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. stem — to come from
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. present — the time now
  17. net — in sport
  18. present — a gift
  19. net — for catching
  20. present — there
  21. pound — a weight
  22. court — of law
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. object — to protest

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