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 116 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: scale · cabinet · bear · present · kick · chair · wind · staff

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. present — there
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. present — the time now
  5. kick — in football
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. staff — a stick
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bear — the animal
  14. scale — in music
  15. wind — moving air
  16. chair — a leader
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. staff — employees
  19. scale — size or range
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. present — a gift
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. staff — employees

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