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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. clip — to cut
  3. mate — to breed
  4. root — the cause
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. sharp — clever
  9. root — of a plant
  10. mate — a partner
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mate — a friend
  13. chip — to eat
  14. clip — a video
  15. root — of a word
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. clip — for paper
  18. chip — in a computer

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