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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. wax — to grow
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. current — of water
  6. club — a group
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bank — for money
  11. club — for golf
  12. current — happening now
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bank — for money
  15. court — for sport
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. current — electric
  18. court — of a king
  19. club — for dancing
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bank — of a river
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a leader
  24. wax — for sculpting

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