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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. pit — a hole
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bank — for money
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mine — for digging
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bank — of a river
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bank — for money
  24. pit — in a race

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