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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. pop — to visit
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. pop — music
  10. last — final
  11. mark — a grade
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. root — of a word
  14. pop — soda
  15. bank — for money
  16. last — finally
  17. mug — a face
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bank — for money
  20. root — the cause
  21. mug — to rob
  22. last — to go on
  23. mug — a cup
  24. root — of a plant

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