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: fine · bowl · cap · chair · ball · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. chair — a leader
  3. fine — high quality
  4. cap — of ice
  5. ball — a great time
  6. cap — a lid
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. staff — employees
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. staff — a stick
  15. ball — a dance
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. fine — all right

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