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: ruler · pass · bark · date · chair · cap

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. cap — a lid
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chair — a leader
  5. cap — of ice
  6. date — the fruit
  7. bark — to shout
  8. cap — a hat
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. pass — to succeed

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