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

Word bank: suit · sharp · key · bowl · arm · lash · court · prune

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. key — in music
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. suit — to fit
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. prune — to trim
  13. court — for sport
  14. court — of a king
  15. suit — in cards
  16. court — of law
  17. sharp — clever
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. prune — to trim
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. arm — part of the body

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