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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. capital — money
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. object — an aim
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. object — a thing
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wound — an injury
  17. capital — a city
  18. object — to protest
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — for pool
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. chair — a leader

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