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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. firm — steady
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. roll — a list
  5. roll — a cake
  6. court — for sport
  7. court — of law
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. court — of a king
  12. fall — to drop
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — decided
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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