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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. ground — crushed
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cell — a phone
  7. last — final
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bore — to drill
  10. cell — in biology
  11. rule — government
  12. last — finally
  13. ground — the earth
  14. rule — a law
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. chip — to eat
  17. roll — a cake
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. ground — a position
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. last — to go on
  24. roll — a list

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