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: toast · court · roll · prune · pop · vault · lean · foot

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. prune — to trim
  4. court — for sport
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. roll — a list
  7. toast — bread
  8. court — of law
  9. lean — thin
  10. pop — to visit
  11. vault — a safe
  12. court — of a king
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pop — soda
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. prune — to trim
  21. roll — a cake
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pop — music
  24. prune — the fruit

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