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 116 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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. band — a music group
  3. can — a tin
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. can — a tin
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wind — moving air
  10. game — a match
  11. wake — a trail
  12. can — to be able to
  13. press — to push
  14. game — wild animals
  15. press — newspapers
  16. saw — the tool
  17. press — a publisher
  18. band — a ring
  19. wind — moving air
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. saw — the tool
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wind — to turn a key

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