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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. chip — for betting
  5. present — a gift
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. present — the time now
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — a contest
  10. race — humankind
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — help
  13. pass — a permit
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. chip — to eat
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. lean — thin
  21. date — the fruit
  22. hand — in cards
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. present — there

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