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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  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 — for betting
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. fall — to drop
  5. net — after costs
  6. present — a gift
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pop — to visit
  9. present — there
  10. dip — to sink
  11. fall — the season
  12. net — in sport
  13. rush — hurry
  14. present — the time now
  15. fall — to drop
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pop — soda
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pop — music
  23. net — for catching
  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