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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. spell — a short time
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rush — hurry
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. chest — of your body
  13. board — a committee
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chest — of your body
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — letters
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. chip — for betting
  24. board — to get on

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