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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. rest — a break
  3. mug — a cup
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. race — a contest
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. race — humankind
  10. present — there
  11. chair — a leader
  12. mug — a face
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. race — the arms race
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. present — the time now
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. present — a gift

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