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 120 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — clever
  4. court — of law
  5. court — for sport
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. foot — a measure
  8. chair — a leader
  9. court — of a king
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. ground — the earth
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. drill — the tool
  19. ground — a position
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. foot — part of the body

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