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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. tube — a container
  3. rash — hasty
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chair — a leader
  6. rock — a stone
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. spell — a short time
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. mate — to breed
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — letters
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mate — a friend
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rock — music
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rash — a series
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. mate — a partner
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chip — to eat
  24. arm — 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