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 116 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lean — thin
  3. court — of a king
  4. pop — soda
  5. court — for sport
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. chair — a leader
  12. stock — shares
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pop — music
  16. stand — to bear
  17. court — of law
  18. lean — to bend
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. pop — to visit
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stock — goods

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