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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. firm — decided
  4. board — to get on
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — hasty
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. toast — bread
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. firm — steady
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — a box
  16. firm — a company
  17. chip — to eat
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. pop — music
  20. kick — in football
  21. board — a committee
  22. chip — for betting
  23. pop — soda
  24. chest — of your body

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