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: coach · pit · firm · wake · snap · fan · staff · chair

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. staff — employees
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. firm — decided
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. firm — steady
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. staff — employees
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. firm — a company
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. snap — to click
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a hole
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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