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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. chip — for betting
  6. root — the cause
  7. charge — a price
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. root — of a word
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. root — of a plant
  12. charge — electricity
  13. key — the most important part
  14. file — a line of people
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. file — a document
  20. rule — a law
  21. cell — in biology
  22. chip — to eat
  23. cell — a phone
  24. charge — in control

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