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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. board — to get on
  4. content — the amount
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fine — all right
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. fine — high quality
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chair — a leader
  14. march — the month
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. march — music
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. march — the month
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. chip — for betting
  21. content — happy
  22. board — a committee
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. content — videos and posts

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