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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chair — a leader
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. rash — hasty
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. can — a tin
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. deal — to handle
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — to hurry

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