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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bank — for money
  4. rest — what's left
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. wax — to grow
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. pitch — completely
  15. spring — of water
  16. court — for sport
  17. bank — of a river
  18. vault — a safe
  19. spring — a coil
  20. bank — for money
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. court — of law
  23. spring — the season
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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