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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. kid — child
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. firm — steady
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. firm — decided
  12. hand — help
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bore — to drill
  16. kid — to tease
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. hand — in cards
  20. firm — a company
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. stem — to come from

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