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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. drill — a practice
  5. game — a match
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. drill — army training
  8. last — to go on
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. last — final
  11. chair — a leader
  12. game — wild animals
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. root — of a plant
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. root — of a word
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. chip — to eat
  21. drill — the tool
  22. last — finally
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. root — the cause

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