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 116 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. suit — to fit
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. staff — a stick
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. deal — to handle
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. lie — to recline
  17. chair — a leader
  18. branch — a division
  19. suit — clothes
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — an explosive

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