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 124 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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. chair — a professorship
  2. net — for catching
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. net — in sport
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. chair — a leader
  14. sharp — clever
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. key — in music
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. net — after costs
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. key — for a lock
  22. kick — in football
  23. key — the most important part
  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