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 120 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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ground — a position
  5. foot — a measure
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bound — tied together
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bound — certain
  11. ground — the earth
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. chip — for betting
  14. club — a group
  15. land — a country
  16. club — for dancing
  17. land — ground
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bound — obliged
  20. ground — crushed
  21. chair — a leader
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. land — to come down
  24. club — for golf

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