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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. shower — to wash
  4. game — a match
  5. file — a tool
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. game — wild animals
  8. chip — to eat
  9. last — finally
  10. stand — to bear
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chip — for betting
  14. file — a line of people
  15. last — to go on
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. last — final
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. shower — rain
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. file — a document
  24. wake — a trail

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