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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. rock — music
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — humankind
  5. track — a song
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. chair — a leader
  8. pit — a hole
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. chip — to eat
  14. race — the arms race
  15. track — a path
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pit — in a race
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. track — to keep track
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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