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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. chip — to eat
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. staff — employees
  8. ground — crushed
  9. season — of the year
  10. suit — in cards
  11. game — wild animals
  12. suit — to fit
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — in sport
  15. ground — the earth
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. game — a match
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. ground — a position
  22. chip — for betting
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. perch — the fish

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