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: mug · chest · present · chair · mark · drill · trunk · fine

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mug — a cup
  4. chest — a box
  5. present — there
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. chest — of your body
  9. present — the time now
  10. mug — to rob
  11. chest — of your body
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. drill — the tool
  14. mug — a face
  15. chair — a leader
  16. mark — a trace
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. drill — a practice
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. present — a gift
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. fine — high quality

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