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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. chip — to eat
  4. degree — an amount
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pit — in a race
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. degree — temperature
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rule — a law
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. snap — to click
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. pit — a hole
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. lie — to recline
  23. degree — from a university
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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