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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. lean — to bend
  4. rock — music
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. lean — thin
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pop — soda
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. perch — the fish
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. rock — a stone
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pop — music
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bat — the animal
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. pop — to visit

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