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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bat — the animal
  4. can — a tin
  5. charge — in control
  6. can — to be able to
  7. face — part of the head
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. can — a tin
  11. charge — electricity
  12. perch — the fish
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — to point toward
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bear — the animal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. charge — a price
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. perch — for a bird

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