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: leaves · vault · cue · court · rule · saw · kick · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. court — for sport
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cue — for pool
  5. vault — a safe
  6. kick — in football
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. court — of law
  11. cue — a signal
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. saw — the tool
  17. court — of a king
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. rule — a law
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rule — government
  23. cue — a hint
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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