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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. hand — in cards
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. chip — for betting
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bank — for money
  11. game — wild animals
  12. hand — help
  13. bank — of a river
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chip — to eat
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. craft — boats
  19. bank — for money
  20. game — a match
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. craft — a skill
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. chair — a leader

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