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: jam · pit · firm · rash · ruler · fork · chair · toast

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. firm — decided
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. toast — bread
  12. pit — in a race
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. firm — steady
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. fork — in a road
  19. firm — a company
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a leader
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rash — a series
  24. ruler — for measuring

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