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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. firm — a company
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. chip — to eat
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. saw — the tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. sharp — clever
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — in cards
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. chip — for betting
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. game — a match
  20. bulb — for light
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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