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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. craft — a skill
  6. spring — the season
  7. firm — steady
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. spring — a coil
  11. craft — boats
  12. spring — of water
  13. toast — bread
  14. firm — a company
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bark — to shout
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. firm — decided

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