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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  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. leaves — lets stay
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — a thing
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bound — certain
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bound — tied together
  8. band — a music group
  9. rash — a series
  10. staff — employees
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. staff — employees
  13. object — an aim
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bound — obliged
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. rash — hasty
  22. chair — a leader
  23. band — a ring
  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