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 116 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. staff — a stick
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. chair — a leader
  10. club — for dancing
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. stock — goods
  15. club — for golf
  16. scale — size or range
  17. club — a group
  18. season — in sport
  19. plane — a tool
  20. scale — in music
  21. rush — hurry
  22. stock — shares
  23. season — of the year
  24. scale — for weighing

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