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 · pop · club · race · lean · plane · roll · temple

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. race — the arms race
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. roll — a list
  6. plane — a tool
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — humankind
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. roll — a cake
  12. chair — a leader
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pop — music
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. pop — to visit
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pop — soda
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — thin
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. club — a group
  24. plane — an aircraft

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