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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bear — the animal
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pop — music
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pop — soda
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. kid — to tease
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. chair — a leader
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. rule — government
  17. chest — of your body
  18. kid — child
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. rule — a law
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. bear — the animal
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. chest — of your body

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