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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. rest — what's left
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rest — a break
  8. chair — a leader
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. current — electric
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. current — happening now
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rest — what's left
  23. current — of water
  24. ruler — for measuring

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