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 116 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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. mark — a trace
  3. file — a tool
  4. can — a tin
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lean — to bend
  7. can — a tin
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chair — a leader
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. can — to be able to
  17. mark — a grade
  18. file — a line of people
  19. squash — to crush
  20. rest — what's left
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. rest — a break
  24. file — a document

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