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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. capital — a city
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bore — to tire
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. snap — to click
  17. chair — a leader
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bat — the animal
  21. capital — money
  22. bore — to drill
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. ruler — a monarch

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