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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bear — the animal
  4. club — a group
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bear — the animal
  11. club — for dancing
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. club — for golf
  14. row — a line
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. shower — to wash
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. row — to paddle
  23. chip — to eat
  24. shower — rain

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