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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pound — a weight
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. chip — for betting
  14. date — the fruit
  15. board — to get on
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. wound — an injury
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — happy
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wound — an injury
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — a sauce

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