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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. rock — music
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. court — of a king
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bark — to shout
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. pass — a permit
  21. court — for sport
  22. chest — of your body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. chest — a box

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