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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bound — certain
  4. roll — a cake
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. roll — a list
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bound — tied together
  11. chip — for betting
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bound — obliged
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bat — the animal
  20. vault — a safe
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. pound — to hit hard

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