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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. cue — a hint
  6. chip — to eat
  7. wound — an injury
  8. object — an aim
  9. chip — for betting
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. key — for a lock
  12. spell — magic
  13. mine — for digging
  14. object — to protest
  15. wound — an injury
  16. spell — letters
  17. cue — for pool
  18. spell — a short time
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. roll — a list
  22. object — a thing
  23. roll — on a roll
  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