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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bound — tied together
  3. land — to come down
  4. file — a document
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — a publisher
  7. craft — a skill
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. press — to push
  12. land — ground
  13. bound — obliged
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. chair — a leader
  17. land — a country
  18. season — of the year
  19. file — a line of people
  20. craft — boats
  21. season — in sport
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bound — certain
  24. file — a tool

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