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: chest · root · mate · cabinet · march · chair · suit · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. chest — of your body
  4. rock — a stone
  5. chest — of your body
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rock — music
  9. chair — a leader
  10. root — of a word
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mate — a partner
  15. suit — in cards
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a plant
  18. chest — a box
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mate — to breed
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. chair — a professorship

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