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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. face — to point toward
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. kick — in football
  6. chip — to eat
  7. ground — a position
  8. degree — an amount
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. ground — the earth
  11. degree — temperature
  12. rock — music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. degree — from a university
  15. bear — the animal
  16. kid — child
  17. face — to confront
  18. rock — a stone
  19. face — part of the head
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kid — to tease
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. ground — crushed
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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