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: saw · stand · court · bay · wave · bore · fall · root

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. fall — the season
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. root — the cause
  14. stand — to bear
  15. court — for sport
  16. bore — to drill
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. court — of law
  20. root — of a word
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. root — of a plant

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