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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. last — finally
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. chair — a leader
  5. pop — to visit
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pop — soda
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pop — music
  16. craft — boats
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. last — to go on
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. last — final

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