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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. rush — hurry
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. current — of water
  5. stock — goods
  6. game — wild animals
  7. current — electric
  8. drill — army training
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a trace
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. mark — a grade
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. wax — to grow
  16. current — happening now
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. game — a match
  19. drill — a practice
  20. chip — to eat
  21. drill — the tool
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. wax — in the ear

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