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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. cue — for pool
  4. roll — a list
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. cue — a signal
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. plane — a tool
  9. prune — to trim
  10. roll — a cake
  11. rash — hasty
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. prune — to trim
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rash — a series
  22. court — of law
  23. court — for sport
  24. cue — a hint

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