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: jam · lean · sharp · wind · court · straw · pound · suit

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wind — moving air
  6. sharp — clever
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. pound — a weight
  11. suit — clothes
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. court — of law
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. lean — to bend
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. lean — thin
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. court — for sport

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