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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. band — a music group
  5. press — to push
  6. press — a publisher
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. press — newspapers
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. present — there
  14. row — a line
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. tube — the underground
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. band — a ring
  19. row — to paddle
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. tube — a container

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