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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. board — to get on
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. chip — to eat
  8. kick — in football
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pop — music
  17. prune — to trim
  18. board — a committee
  19. pop — soda
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. temple — a place of worship

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