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: bay · chair · lean · roll · rest · cabinet · court · plane

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. roll — a cake
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lean — to bend
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. lean — thin
  14. chair — a leader
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of a king
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. rest — a break
  21. roll — a list
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. court — of law
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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