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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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. prune — the fruit
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. perch — the fish
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rush — hurry
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bore — to tire
  11. prune — to trim
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. track — a song
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. track — a path
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bore — to drill
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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