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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · court · firm · drill · staff · cell

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. court — of law
  3. drill — army training
  4. firm — decided
  5. cell — a phone
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. firm — a company
  8. staff — employees
  9. drill — the tool
  10. court — for sport
  11. cell — in biology
  12. staff — a stick
  13. firm — steady
  14. drill — a practice
  15. staff — employees
  16. court — of a king
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cell — in a prison

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