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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. track — a path
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — the underground
  8. key — the most important part
  9. suit — in cards
  10. cell — a phone
  11. key — for a lock
  12. cell — in biology
  13. suit — to fit
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bear — the animal
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. bear — the animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. chip — for betting
  20. track — a song
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. key — in music
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. chip — in a computer

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