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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. chair — a leader
  4. last — finally
  5. last — to go on
  6. bulb — for light
  7. scale — size or range
  8. last — final
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. rest — a break
  15. scale — in music
  16. lie — to recline
  17. swing — music
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. swing — to play on
  24. rest — what's left

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