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: land · cabinet · chair · rest · saw · hand · shower · stand

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. land — ground
  9. land — a country
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. land — to come down
  12. hand — help
  13. shower — to wash
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. chair — a leader
  23. rest — a break
  24. hand — in cards

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