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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pound — a weight
  3. spell — letters
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pitch — completely
  11. spell — magic
  12. current — happening now
  13. cold — not warm
  14. chip — to eat
  15. current — electric
  16. cold — an illness
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. toast — bread
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. current — of water

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