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 120 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. can — a tin
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. root — of a word
  6. charge — electricity
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wax — to grow
  9. can — to be able to
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. can — a tin
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — a price
  20. chair — a leader
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ruler — for measuring

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