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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bear — the animal
  6. spring — the season
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. chair — a leader
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. spring — a coil
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. squash — to crush
  22. spring — of water
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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