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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bound — tied together
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bound — obliged
  7. firm — a company
  8. present — the time now
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. firm — steady
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. season — of the year
  18. bound — certain
  19. wax — to grow
  20. firm — decided
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bat — the animal
  23. season — in sport
  24. chair — a leader

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