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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. court — for sport
  6. land — ground
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. stand — to bear
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. land — a country
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. court — of law
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. land — to come down
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — a safe
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. dip — to sink
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. straw — a straw man

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