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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. court — of law
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ground — crushed
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. board — a committee
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. press — a publisher
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a grade
  15. ground — the earth
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. dip — to sink
  18. deal — to handle
  19. board — to get on
  20. court — for sport
  21. press — newspapers
  22. mark — a trace
  23. press — to push
  24. ground — a position

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