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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  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. chip — to eat
  3. mug — to rob
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. key — in music
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. vault — a safe
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. key — the most important part
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mug — a face
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. key — for a lock
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mine — for digging
  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