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: fine · chair · rush · rest · court · foot · present · mouse

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. court — of law
  3. rest — a break
  4. court — of a king
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. court — for sport
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. foot — a measure
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — there
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. fine — all right
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chair — a leader
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. present — the time now
  22. rush — hurry
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. chair — a professorship

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