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: staff · season · lie · sharp · fan · chair · pit · rush

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. rush — hurry
  3. chair — a leader
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pit — in a race
  7. season — in sport
  8. lie — to recline
  9. staff — employees
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. season — of the year
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. staff — employees
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. staff — a stick
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. sharp — clever
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rush — to hurry

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