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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bank — for money
  5. object — to protest
  6. fall — the season
  7. board — to get on
  8. object — a thing
  9. fall — to drop
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bank — of a river
  14. chip — for betting
  15. object — an aim
  16. bank — for money
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. board — a committee
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wave — 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