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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. present — the time now
  3. chip — for betting
  4. game — wild animals
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mark — a grade
  8. root — of a plant
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. mark — a trace
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. present — a gift
  17. rule — government
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. game — a match
  20. present — there
  21. root — of a word
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. root — the cause
  24. rule — a law

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