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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. deal — to handle
  4. craft — a skill
  5. chest — of your body
  6. march — music
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bound — obliged
  9. march — the month
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. chair — a leader
  12. pop — to visit
  13. chest — a box
  14. march — the month
  15. bound — tied together
  16. craft — boats
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. pop — music
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pop — soda
  24. bound — certain

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