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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rock — a stone
  4. degree — an amount
  5. cue — for pool
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. chip — to eat
  10. degree — from a university
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. chair — a leader
  14. cue — a hint
  15. rock — music
  16. cue — a signal
  17. chip — for betting
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. degree — temperature
  23. press — to push
  24. chair — a professorship

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