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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. court — of law
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. rush — hurry
  7. court — of a king
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rest — a break
  11. lie — to recline
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. court — for sport
  14. rest — what's left
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rest — what's left
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. lean — thin
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. toast — bread

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