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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. chip — to eat
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. court — for sport
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — hasty
  12. court — of law
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. stock — shares
  15. court — of a king
  16. stock — goods
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — to tease
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — a permit

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