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: foot · bore · firm · ball · chair · toast · cap · cell

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. cap — a lid
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. firm — steady
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ball — a great time
  14. toast — bread
  15. bore — to drill
  16. ball — a dance
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. cell — in biology
  21. foot — a measure
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cell — a phone

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