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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mug — a cup
  4. land — a country
  5. chip — to eat
  6. sharp — clever
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. mug — a face
  9. mark — a grade
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rest — what's left
  12. land — to come down
  13. snap — to click
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mark — a trace
  16. rest — what's left
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rest — a break
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bank — for money
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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