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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. chip — for betting
  3. season — in sport
  4. chip — to eat
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. capital — money
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. can — a tin
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. capital — a city
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stem — to come from
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. season — of the year

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