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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. chip — to eat
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. fine — high quality
  6. club — for dancing
  7. chip — for betting
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. club — for golf
  16. degree — from a university
  17. wind — moving air
  18. degree — an amount
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. degree — temperature
  21. fine — all right
  22. wind — moving air
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. club — a group

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