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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. ball — a great time
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. ball — a dance
  6. roll — a list
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. chip — for betting
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. toast — bread
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. deal — to handle
  16. roll — a cake
  17. field — for sport
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. charge — in control
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. field — farmland
  22. field — a subject
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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