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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. chip — to eat
  3. stem — to come from
  4. dip — to sink
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. pitch — completely
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. degree — temperature
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bore — to tire
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bore — to drill
  23. chair — a leader
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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