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 116 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. hand — in cards
  3. object — a thing
  4. mark — a grade
  5. tube — a container
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bound — certain
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. hand — help
  11. wind — moving air
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bound — obliged
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bound — tied together
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — to protest
  21. tube — the underground
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. hand — part of the body

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