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 120 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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. swing — music
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. clip — for paper
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. clip — to cut
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wax — to grow
  13. clip — a video
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. face — to confront
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — to play on
  23. chair — a leader
  24. fan — a supporter

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