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 116 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: bay · kick · cabinet · race · mark · chair · object · branch

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. chair — a leader
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. mark — a grade
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. branch — a division
  8. race — a contest
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. race — the arms race
  11. object — a thing
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. object — an aim
  14. race — humankind
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. kick — in football
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. mark — a trace

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