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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cap — a lid
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. scale — in music
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — tied together
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. craft — a skill
  14. cap — of ice
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. wax — to grow
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bound — obliged
  20. scale — size or range
  21. chair — a leader
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. chair — to sit on

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