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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. current — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. firm — a company
  7. ground — a position
  8. firm — steady
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chest — of your body
  16. land — ground
  17. land — a country
  18. land — to come down
  19. firm — decided
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. chest — a box
  22. ground — crushed
  23. current — happening now
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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