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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. content — the amount
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. charge — electricity
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wax — to grow
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. charge — a price
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. content — happy
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. charge — in control
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. calf — of the leg

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