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: chair · bay · rock · craft · press · firm · face · spell

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. spell — magic
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. press — newspapers
  6. rock — a stone
  7. face — part of the head
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — letters
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. firm — a company
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — boats
  19. firm — decided
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — to point toward
  22. firm — steady
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. rock — music

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