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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. court — of a king
  3. press — a publisher
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. vault — a safe
  9. object — to protest
  10. land — a country
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. court — of law
  14. stand — to bear
  15. land — ground
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. court — for sport
  19. object — an aim
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wax — to grow
  22. press — newspapers
  23. land — to come down
  24. press — to push

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