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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. current — electric
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. ball — a great time
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. current — happening now
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. current — of water
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wave — of the sea

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