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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. scale — in music
  6. chair — a leader
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. foot — a measure
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. kick — in football
  19. scale — size or range
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. kick — with a leg

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