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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. ground — a position
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. season — in sport
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. ground — crushed
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. key — the most important part
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. chip — for betting
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. snap — to click
  17. season — of the year
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. ground — the earth
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — in music
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. wake — a trail

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