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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. land — to come down
  3. chip — for betting
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. file — a tool
  8. game — wild animals
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. game — a match
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bark — to shout
  16. land — ground
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. file — a line of people
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. file — a document
  22. land — a country
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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