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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. ball — a dance
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. key — for a lock
  6. stock — shares
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. chip — for betting
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. ball — a great time
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. stock — goods
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mine — for digging
  16. dip — to sink
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. key — in music
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. key — the most important part
  24. nail — on a finger

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