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: plane · firm · object · pit · court · suit · ground · deal

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. firm — a company
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. court — of law
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pit — a hole
  7. suit — to fit
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — a position
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. object — a thing
  13. court — for sport
  14. object — to protest
  15. plane — a tool
  16. firm — steady
  17. suit — in cards
  18. court — of a king
  19. deal — to handle
  20. ground — the earth
  21. suit — clothes
  22. firm — decided
  23. pit — in a race
  24. deal — an agreement

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