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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. drill — army training
  4. land — ground
  5. face — to point toward
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. land — to come down
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — part of the head
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. land — a country
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. drill — a practice
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. branch — a division
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. drill — the tool
  24. vault — a safe

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