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 120 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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. charge — in control
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. firm — a company
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. spring — a coil
  10. cell — a phone
  11. firm — steady
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cell — in biology
  14. court — of a king
  15. charge — a price
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. craft — boats
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. firm — decided
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — the season
  22. craft — a skill
  23. charge — electricity
  24. court — for sport

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