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: chest · capital · plane · staff · toast · wake · bore · rash

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bore — to drill
  5. capital — a city
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — bread
  9. plane — a tool
  10. staff — employees
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. chest — a box
  16. rash — a series
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. chest — of your body
  20. rash — hasty
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. capital — money
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. staff — employees

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