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: suit · lash · key · scale · chest · prune · cabinet · court

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. scale — in music
  3. chest — of your body
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. key — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. chest — a box
  9. court — for sport
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. court — of a king
  15. suit — to fit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. scale — size or range
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. prune — to trim
  24. chest — of your body

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