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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. object — to protest
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. race — humankind
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. mug — a cup
  7. wind — moving air
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. ground — the earth
  10. race — a contest
  11. bank — of a river
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bank — for money
  14. mug — a face
  15. ground — crushed
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — an aim
  18. wind — moving air
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bank — for money
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. race — the arms race
  24. ground — a position

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