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: chair · hide · jam · fork · cell · pass · bark · wound

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. 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. cell — in a prison
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. cell — in biology
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. cell — a phone
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. chair — a leader
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pass — a permit
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. 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