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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. squash — the sport
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. saw — the tool
  5. chair — a leader
  6. cap — a lid
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bear — the animal
  11. clip — for paper
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cap — a hat
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. clip — a video
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. clip — to cut
  20. bear — the animal
  21. cap — of ice
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. suit — to fit

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