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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. rock — music
  3. chip — for betting
  4. squash — to crush
  5. ground — the earth
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. race — a contest
  9. chip — to eat
  10. rock — a stone
  11. dip — to sink
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. squash — the sport
  17. race — humankind
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a skill
  21. race — the arms race
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — crushed

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