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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. march — the month
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ground — crushed
  6. march — music
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. court — of law
  9. march — the month
  10. prune — to trim
  11. foot — a measure
  12. capital — money
  13. track — to keep track
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. track — a path
  18. ground — a position
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. track — a song
  22. court — of a king
  23. capital — a city
  24. court — for sport

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