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 120 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bass — low music
  4. rock — music
  5. chip — for betting
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. cue — for pool
  8. mine — for digging
  9. cue — a signal
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. deal — to handle
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bass — the fish
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. rock — a stone

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