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: key · hide · pound · present · can · leaves · pitcher · chair

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. present — there
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. key — in music
  11. chair — a leader
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pound — a weight
  18. can — a tin
  19. present — a gift
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. present — the time now

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