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 120 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. content — the amount
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. kid — child
  7. kid — to tease
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — a leader
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pass — a permit
  16. content — happy
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. present — there
  20. present — the time now
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chair — to sit on

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