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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. court — of law
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. court — of a king
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. ball — a dance
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fine — high quality
  12. court — for sport
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fine — all right
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stem — to come from
  19. ball — a great time
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. mark — a grade

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