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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. court — of law
  3. suit — clothes
  4. spring — the season
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. court — of a king
  11. spring — a coil
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rest — a break
  18. court — for sport
  19. fine — all right
  20. mark — a trace
  21. fine — high quality
  22. spring — of water
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. suit — in cards

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