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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. court — of law
  3. court — of a king
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. firm — decided
  6. mine — for digging
  7. suit — clothes
  8. firm — steady
  9. drill — the tool
  10. firm — a company
  11. bank — for money
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — a practice
  14. court — for sport
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bank — of a river
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bank — for money
  24. bay — a horse colour

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