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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  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. ground — a position
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. shower — to wash
  4. chip — for betting
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — the earth
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. chip — to eat
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. shower — rain
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. coach — a trainer
  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