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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bass — low music
  3. race — the arms race
  4. net — for catching
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. tear — from crying
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. race — a contest
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. net — after costs
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. chip — to eat
  14. fork — in a road
  15. net — in sport
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. squash — to crush
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. squash — the sport
  21. race — humankind
  22. tear — to rip
  23. bass — the fish
  24. fork — a garden tool

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