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 120 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: lean · bay · face · fan · bear · spell · chair · rule

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lean — thin
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — magic
  14. bear — the animal
  15. face — part of the head
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — a law
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. chair — a leader
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — to confront
  24. fan — a supporter

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