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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. saw — the tool
  3. can — a tin
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. current — happening now
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. kick — in football
  8. row — a line
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. chip — to eat
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. row — to paddle
  14. can — to be able to
  15. saw — the tool
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. current — of water
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — to get on
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. can — a tin
  23. current — electric
  24. chip — for betting

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