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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. wake — a trail
  3. present — a gift
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. chip — for betting
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lean — to bend
  8. roll — a list
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. net — for catching
  11. present — the time now
  12. roll — a cake
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — after costs
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. rule — a law
  18. board — to get on
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. present — there
  21. board — a committee
  22. rule — government
  23. lean — thin
  24. chip — in a computer

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