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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. rock — music
  3. wind — moving air
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. court — of a king
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. charge — a price
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. court — of law
  12. charge — in control
  13. band — a ring
  14. wind — moving air
  15. court — for sport
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. band — a music group
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. rock — a stone
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bark — to shout

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