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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chest — a box
  3. bound — obliged
  4. capital — money
  5. wake — a trail
  6. stand — to bear
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — in cards
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chest — of your body
  18. capital — a city
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bound — tied together
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bound — certain
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. wake — before a funeral

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