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: staff · chair · object · pound · rash · fine · cell · pop

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cell — in biology
  5. rash — hasty
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — to protest
  8. staff — a stick
  9. object — an aim
  10. pound — a weight
  11. fine — high quality
  12. rash — a series
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. chair — a leader
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. fine — all right
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. pop — soda
  20. staff — employees
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. pound — to hit hard

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