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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. saw — the tool
  3. spell — magic
  4. chip — to eat
  5. capital — a city
  6. capital — money
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. object — a thing
  9. saw — the tool
  10. object — an aim
  11. bulb — for light
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. court — for sport
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. spell — letters
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — of law
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. object — to protest
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spell — a short time
  24. safe — out of danger

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