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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. pit — a hole
  4. club — for golf
  5. roll — a list
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — a group
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — a hat
  11. plane — a tool
  12. roll — a cake
  13. saw — the tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. chair — a leader
  16. pit — in a race
  17. charge — a price
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. charge — electricity
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. charge — in control
  24. cap — of ice

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