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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. object — to protest
  2. chip — to eat
  3. fork — in a road
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. chip — for betting
  6. cold — not warm
  7. object — a thing
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. key — the most important part
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. key — for a lock
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stand — to bear
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. key — in music
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. object — an aim
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. cold — an illness
  23. leaves — to go away
  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