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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. clip — for paper
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bear — the animal
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. firm — steady
  9. bear — the animal
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. clip — to cut
  12. band — a music group
  13. firm — decided
  14. bore — to tire
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. chip — to eat
  17. firm — a company
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. clip — a video
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. chip — for betting
  23. band — a ring
  24. pitcher — a jug

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