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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. present — there
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. chair — a leader
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. present — a gift
  9. fine — all right
  10. present — the time now
  11. rest — a break
  12. dip — to sink
  13. stock — goods
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. fine — high quality
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. stock — shares
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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