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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. chip — to eat
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — to handle
  5. rest — a break
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. toast — bread
  8. wind — moving air
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. club — for golf
  11. wind — moving air
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. chip — for betting
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. club — for dancing
  21. rest — what's left
  22. club — a group
  23. chair — a leader
  24. rest — what's left

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