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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. fine — high quality
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. court — of a king
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. court — for sport
  13. pass — a permit
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fine — all right
  19. snap — to click
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bat — the animal
  24. fine — a penalty

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