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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. net — in sport
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. net — for catching
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a leader
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. net — after costs
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — there
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mine — for digging

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