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: kid · chair · mate · cabinet · track · jam · drill · fan

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. kid — to tease
  3. kid — child
  4. track — a song
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. drill — the tool
  12. track — to keep track
  13. drill — a practice
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mate — a partner
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mate — to breed
  21. chair — a leader
  22. mate — a friend
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. track — a path

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