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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. face — to confront
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bore — to tire
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. stock — shares
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bore — to drill
  15. face — to point toward
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. pass — a permit
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rush — to hurry

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