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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. present — a gift
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chip — to eat
  5. march — the month
  6. key — for a lock
  7. chip — for betting
  8. key — the most important part
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. present — there
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. present — the time now
  13. pitch — completely
  14. craft — a skill
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. march — the month
  17. key — in music
  18. wound — an injury
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. march — music
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. craft — boats

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