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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bound — tied together
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. staff — employees
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bound — obliged
  12. sharp — clever
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — of law
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. court — for sport
  18. pit — a hole
  19. staff — employees
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bound — certain
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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