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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. cold — an illness
  3. chip — for betting
  4. cell — a phone
  5. track — a path
  6. track — to keep track
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. cold — not warm
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. cell — in biology
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. toast — bread
  20. deal — to handle
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. deal — an agreement

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