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: racket · cabinet · present · race · cue · court · saw · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. court — of law
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. lean — thin
  8. court — of a king
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. race — the arms race
  11. court — for sport
  12. present — a gift
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. lean — to bend
  16. cue — a hint
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. race — a contest
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. race — humankind
  22. present — there
  23. cue — for pool
  24. present — the time now

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