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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. mug — a cup
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. staff — employees
  8. tube — the underground
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. ground — crushed
  12. mug — a face
  13. tube — a container
  14. bank — of a river
  15. scale — size or range
  16. craft — boats
  17. bank — for money
  18. ground — a position
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bank — for money
  21. craft — a skill
  22. mug — to rob
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — a leader

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