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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. mark — a grade
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. season — in sport
  6. mark — a trace
  7. court — of a king
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. prune — to trim
  10. court — for sport
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. season — of the year
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. court — of law
  18. prune — to trim
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chip — to eat
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mark — to pay attention

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