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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bass — the fish
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. land — to come down
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. land — ground
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bass — low music
  14. foot — a measure
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. court — of law
  17. court — for sport
  18. charge — a price
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fall — the season
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. land — a country
  24. charge — in control

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