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

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. board — to get on
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. season — in sport
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. board — a committee
  7. fall — the season
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. season — of the year
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. dip — to sink
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. fall — to drop
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. fall — to drop
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pass — to spend time

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