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 is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. game — wild animals
  4. chip — to eat
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. plane — a tool
  8. game — a match
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. land — to come down
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. land — ground
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bank — for money
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bank — for money
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bank — of a river

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