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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. capital — a city
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. capital — money
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to click
  16. foot — a measure
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bat — the animal
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. suit — to fit
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bass — the fish
  24. dip — to sink

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