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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. file — a document
  3. capital — a city
  4. mate — to breed
  5. deal — to handle
  6. band — a ring
  7. file — a line of people
  8. mate — a partner
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — money
  12. vault — a safe
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. file — a tool
  20. mate — a friend
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — to eat
  24. band — a music group

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