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 116 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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. staff — employees
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pop — to visit
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — for digging
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. staff — a stick
  14. lie — to recline
  15. staff — employees
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — soda
  20. tube — a container
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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