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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. stem — to come from
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. chair — a leader
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bear — the animal
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — a price
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bulb — for light

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