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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. file — a tool
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. hand — in cards
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. drill — the tool
  11. suit — in cards
  12. hand — help
  13. drill — army training
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. chip — to eat
  16. suit — clothes
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. drill — a practice
  19. suit — to fit
  20. file — a line of people
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. file — a document
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. chip — for betting

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