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 120 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: suit · coach · stand · bear · saw · scale · chair · nail

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. saw — the tool
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. stand — to bear
  7. saw — the tool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. suit — clothes
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bear — the animal
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. chair — a leader
  20. scale — size or range
  21. suit — in cards
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. bear — the animal

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