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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. present — the time now
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. mine — for digging
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bulb — for light
  12. present — there
  13. present — a gift
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. fork — in a road
  16. chip — to eat
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. fall — to drop
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. fall — to drop
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. wind — moving air
  23. fall — the season
  24. snap — to click

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