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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — to fit
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. chip — to eat
  10. rest — what's left
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fall — to drop
  13. cold — not warm
  14. march — the month
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. march — music
  18. cold — an illness
  19. march — the month
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fall — the season

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