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 116 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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. content — the amount
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. current — of water
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. club — for golf
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. content — happy
  12. chip — for betting
  13. current — happening now
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. club — for dancing
  17. pop — soda
  18. club — a group
  19. pop — music
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bat — the animal
  22. pop — to visit
  23. current — electric
  24. patient — a sick person

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