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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chip — for betting
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cap — a lid
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lie — to recline
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. spring — a coil
  21. track — a song
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — the season
  24. track — a path

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