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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. chip — for betting
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. track — to keep track
  6. net — for catching
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — to sink
  9. net — after costs
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. net — in sport
  12. wind — moving air
  13. club — for golf
  14. track — a song
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. track — a path
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. club — a group
  20. wind — moving air
  21. chip — to eat
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. club — for dancing

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