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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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. nail — for a hammer
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. sharp — clever
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — a container
  18. march — the month
  19. chip — for betting
  20. tube — the underground
  21. march — music
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. march — the month
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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