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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wake — a trail
  7. content — happy
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chip — for betting
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. lie — to recline
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chair — a leader
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. lie — an untruth

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