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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. chest — a box
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. spell — a short time
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. spell — magic
  9. chip — to eat
  10. spell — letters
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. field — farmland
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bore — to tire
  17. chest — of your body
  18. field — a subject
  19. field — for sport
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. chip — for betting
  24. cue — a hint

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