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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. deal — to handle
  3. race — the arms race
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. charge — in control
  6. cold — an illness
  7. wound — an injury
  8. present — a gift
  9. last — finally
  10. chip — to eat
  11. race — humankind
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. present — there
  15. last — final
  16. last — to go on
  17. wound — an injury
  18. race — a contest
  19. cold — not warm
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. present — the time now

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