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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. land — ground
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. march — the month
  5. scale — size or range
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. land — to come down
  14. march — music
  15. chip — for betting
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — for catching
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. march — the month
  21. net — after costs
  22. land — a country
  23. chair — a leader
  24. hide — animal skin

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