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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. season — in sport
  4. chip — for betting
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. field — farmland
  8. pop — to visit
  9. field — for sport
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. field — a subject
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pop — music
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pop — soda
  23. season — of the year
  24. mouse — for a computer

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