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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. object — to protest
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stand — to bear
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — to eat
  8. craft — boats
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bulb — for light
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — an aim
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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