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: plane · capital · chair · press · pass · temple · bound · rock

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. press — to push
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bound — certain
  6. plane — a tool
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. pass — a permit
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. capital — money
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. press — a publisher
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. rock — music
  15. capital — a city
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bound — obliged
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. rock — a stone
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. chair — a leader
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bound — tied together

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