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: bore · bowl · stock · arm · can · staff · spell · chair

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. can — a tin
  6. bore — to drill
  7. spell — magic
  8. stock — shares
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. spell — letters
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bore — to tire
  13. can — a tin
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. staff — employees
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. staff — employees
  19. stock — goods
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. staff — a stick
  24. spell — a short time

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