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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. hand — in cards
  3. mug — a cup
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mug — to rob
  7. season — in sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. season — of the year
  12. net — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. chip — for betting
  15. hand — help
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. net — for catching
  18. chip — to eat
  19. roll — a list
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mug — a face
  24. roll — a cake

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