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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  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. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. staff — a stick
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. deal — to handle
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. sharp — clever
  12. track — a path
  13. scale — in music
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. scale — size or range
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. perch — the fish
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. chip — to eat
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. perch — for a bird
  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