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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. press — to push
  5. press — a publisher
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. deal — to handle
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. game — a match
  16. chip — for betting
  17. game — wild animals
  18. craft — boats
  19. scale — size or range
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bulb — for light
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bulb — for light

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