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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bound — certain
  5. board — to get on
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. can — to be able to
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bound — obliged
  17. can — a tin
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — a committee
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bound — tied together
  24. sharp — with an edge

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