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 120 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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. march — the month
  3. press — to push
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. march — the month
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. court — for sport
  8. lean — thin
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. lean — to bend
  11. court — of law
  12. march — music
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. firm — a company
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. firm — decided
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. press — newspapers
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. press — a publisher
  24. firm — steady

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