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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. court — of law
  4. content — happy
  5. field — a subject
  6. key — in music
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. field — for sport
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. key — for a lock
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. court — of a king
  14. fall — to drop
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fall — to drop
  18. court — for sport
  19. key — the most important part
  20. field — farmland
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fall — the season
  23. content — the amount
  24. ruler — a monarch

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