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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. stock — shares
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stock — goods
  7. key — for a lock
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. fine — all right
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. key — the most important part
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bass — the fish
  24. key — in music

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