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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bank — for money
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — a line
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bank — for money
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bank — of a river
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. cold — an illness
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. cold — not warm

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