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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. firm — a company
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. court — for sport
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — for digging
  10. lie — to recline
  11. current — of water
  12. firm — decided
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. current — happening now
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. court — of law
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. firm — steady
  19. bound — obliged
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bound — certain
  22. current — electric
  23. bound — tied together
  24. fan — a supporter

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