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 116 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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. firm — decided
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bat — the animal
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. board — a committee
  7. rash — hasty
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. board — to get on
  13. rash — a series
  14. firm — steady
  15. chip — for betting
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. sharp — clever
  20. lie — to recline
  21. cue — a hint
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. firm — a company

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