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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  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. hand — in cards
  2. chip — for betting
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. hand — help
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. prune — to trim
  13. content — happy
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — a series
  18. content — the amount
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. chip — to eat
  23. fan — a supporter
  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