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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. season — of the year
  4. tube — a container
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. hand — in cards
  9. season — in sport
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. hand — help
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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