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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. charge — a price
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. stem — to come from
  9. race — humankind
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. charge — in control
  13. race — a contest
  14. charge — electricity
  15. deal — to handle
  16. race — the arms race
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. cell — in biology
  20. mine — for digging
  21. chip — to eat
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. cell — a phone
  24. mine — an explosive

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