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 · face · pass · bulb · wake · nail · scale · deal

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pass — a permit
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. deal — to handle
  5. face — to confront
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bulb — for light
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. scale — in music
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. wake — a trail
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chair — a leader
  18. face — to point toward
  19. scale — size or range
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. face — part of the head
  24. bulb — for light

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