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: pitcher · can · rule · leaves · cabinet · chair · hand · chest

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. hand — help
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. can — a tin
  5. rule — a law
  6. can — a tin
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. can — to be able to
  9. chest — a box
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chest — of your body
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chair — a leader
  23. hand — in cards
  24. rule — government

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