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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. bear — the animal
  3. race — humankind
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. chip — for betting
  12. game — wild animals
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bear — the animal
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. race — a contest
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. game — a match
  24. chip — to eat

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