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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. roll — a list
  3. chip — to eat
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. current — happening now
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. current — of water
  11. last — final
  12. rash — hasty
  13. last — to go on
  14. current — electric
  15. last — finally
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. rash — a series
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. mate — a friend

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