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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. chair — a leader
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mark — a trace
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pop — soda
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bound — tied together
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bound — obliged
  14. last — to go on
  15. present — there
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — music
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. present — the time now
  21. bound — certain
  22. last — final
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. last — finally

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