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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. pit — a hole
  3. mug — to rob
  4. chair — a leader
  5. mug — a cup
  6. pit — in a race
  7. mug — a face
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — in cards
  14. swing — to play on
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — music
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — in golf
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. trunk — of a car

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