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 120 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: stand · band · chair · last · coach · cabinet · trunk · object

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. band — a music group
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. object — an aim
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. last — final
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. object — to protest
  13. last — finally
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. object — a thing
  16. last — to go on
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. band — a ring
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stand — to bear
  24. chair — a professorship

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