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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. cap — of ice
  3. field — farmland
  4. suit — in cards
  5. firm — a company
  6. spell — a short time
  7. track — to keep track
  8. firm — steady
  9. track — a song
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cap — a lid
  12. spell — letters
  13. firm — decided
  14. press — to push
  15. spell — magic
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. suit — clothes
  18. press — a publisher
  19. track — a path
  20. field — for sport
  21. press — newspapers
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. cap — a hat
  24. field — a subject

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