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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. band — a ring
  8. track — to keep track
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cap — a lid
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. track — a path
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a music group
  18. cap — of ice
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. track — a song
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. nail — on a finger

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