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

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  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. rock — a stone
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. rock — music
  4. roll — a cake
  5. chip — to eat
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — happy
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. chair — a leader
  12. deal — to handle
  13. roll — a list
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. chip — for betting
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. content — videos and posts
  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