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: bear · staff · coach · cap · ruler · chest · firm · rash

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. chest — of your body
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. staff — employees
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. staff — employees
  12. rash — a series
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. staff — a stick
  16. rash — hasty
  17. chest — a box
  18. cap — of ice
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. firm — decided
  22. bear — the animal
  23. chest — of your body
  24. cap — a hat

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