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 120 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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. chair — a leader
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. present — the time now
  10. hand — help
  11. bear — the animal
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. object — an aim
  14. march — the month
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. present — a gift
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. present — there
  21. object — a thing
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. object — to protest

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