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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. content — the amount
  7. chip — to eat
  8. craft — boats
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. staff — a stick
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. chair — a leader
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. staff — employees
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. chip — for betting
  21. staff — employees
  22. mine — for digging
  23. can — a tin
  24. content — happy

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