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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. board — to get on
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. roll — a list
  6. pop — to visit
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. roll — a cake
  12. press — a publisher
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. lie — to recline
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. press — to push
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — soda
  23. press — newspapers
  24. board — a committee

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