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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. wind — moving air
  3. shower — rain
  4. roll — a list
  5. squash — to crush
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. bulb — for light
  8. court — of law
  9. shower — to wash
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wind — moving air
  12. court — of a king
  13. court — for sport
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rest — a break
  20. roll — a cake
  21. rest — what's left
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bulb — for light
  24. chip — for betting

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