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 120 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. chip — to eat
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. race — a contest
  6. fall — the season
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. season — in sport
  9. kick — in football
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. fall — to drop
  13. race — the arms race
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. rule — government
  16. race — humankind
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. chip — for betting
  19. fall — to drop
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. season — of the year
  22. rule — a law
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. leaves — of a tree

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