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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. deal — to handle
  4. file — a line of people
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bear — the animal
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. object — an aim
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. file — a document
  17. object — a thing
  18. chip — for betting
  19. object — to protest
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. file — a tool
  24. bowl — a football final

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