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 120 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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. press — newspapers
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. charge — a price
  6. press — a publisher
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. bear — the animal
  14. kid — child
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. lean — to bend
  17. kid — to tease
  18. press — to push
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. charge — electricity
  21. lean — thin
  22. charge — in control
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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