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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bound — certain
  8. squash — to crush
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bound — tied together
  11. fall — to drop
  12. squash — the sport
  13. chip — to eat
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bound — obliged
  19. fall — the season
  20. rest — a break
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. rest — what's left
  24. temple — side of the head

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