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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. chair — a leader
  4. content — happy
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. date — the fruit
  11. content — the amount
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — a stone
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rock — music
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. date — on the calendar

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