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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. pit — in a race
  3. charge — a price
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. rest — what's left
  6. chip — to eat
  7. content — happy
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. pit — a hole
  10. chip — for betting
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. object — a thing
  13. charge — electricity
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. rest — what's left
  17. scale — in music
  18. foot — a measure
  19. charge — in control
  20. scale — size or range
  21. content — the amount
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. content — videos and posts

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