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 120 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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. current — of water
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. current — happening now
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — for betting
  11. game — wild animals
  12. tube — the underground
  13. craft — boats
  14. ground — a position
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. current — electric
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. court — of law
  20. court — of a king
  21. tube — a container
  22. ground — crushed
  23. court — for sport
  24. ground — the earth

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