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: last · suit · straw · pop · mug · chair · object · current

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. mug — a cup
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. last — to go on
  5. mug — to rob
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. object — a thing
  8. suit — clothes
  9. current — electric
  10. suit — in cards
  11. chair — a leader
  12. current — happening now
  13. pop — music
  14. suit — to fit
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. current — of water
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — soda
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. object — to protest
  22. last — finally
  23. mug — a face
  24. object — an aim

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