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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chair · board · calf · rock · cell · pass

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. board — to get on
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rock — a stone
  6. board — a committee
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. chair — a leader
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cell — a phone
  13. rock — music
  14. pass — a permit
  15. cell — in biology
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chair — to sit on

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