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: stand · face · tear · court · toast · fan · row · key

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. row — a line
  3. court — of a king
  4. key — in music
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. court — of law
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. tear — from crying
  9. row — to paddle
  10. toast — bread
  11. face — to confront
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. key — the most important part
  14. court — for sport
  15. tear — from crying
  16. key — for a lock
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. tear — to rip
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — to bear

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