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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. bound — tied together
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. tube — the underground
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bound — certain
  7. tube — a container
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. fork — in a road
  10. stock — goods
  11. mark — a grade
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bound — obliged
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stem — to come from
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. stock — shares
  24. stem — of a plant

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