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 120 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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. suit — to fit
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — in football
  8. suit — in cards
  9. net — after costs
  10. pitch — completely
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. net — for catching
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bark — to shout
  23. net — in sport
  24. fan — a supporter

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