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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. game — a match
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. roll — a cake
  8. scale — in music
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mate — a partner
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bear — the animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mate — to breed
  18. roll — a list
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. scale — size or range
  22. game — wild animals
  23. mate — a friend
  24. chip — for betting

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