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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. fall — to drop
  3. saw — the tool
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bore — to drill
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cap — of ice
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bore — to tire
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. chair — a leader
  15. fall — the season
  16. cap — a lid
  17. wind — moving air
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cap — a hat
  21. fall — to drop
  22. toast — bread
  23. wind — moving air
  24. toast — the most admired

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