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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. track — a path
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bank — for money
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. track — a song
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. wind — moving air
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bank — of a river
  17. track — to keep track
  18. row — to paddle
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bank — for money
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. row — a line

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