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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. hand — in cards
  3. chest — of your body
  4. tube — a container
  5. can — a tin
  6. chest — a box
  7. spell — letters
  8. can — to be able to
  9. spell — a short time
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chest — of your body
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. can — a tin
  16. chip — to eat
  17. hand — help
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. tube — the underground
  21. spell — magic
  22. pitch — completely
  23. chair — a leader
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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