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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. firm — steady
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. firm — decided
  6. chair — a leader
  7. last — to go on
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. present — a gift
  10. cap — of ice
  11. present — there
  12. court — of a king
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. last — finally
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of law
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — a lid
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. firm — a company
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. last — final
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. present — the time now

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