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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. spell — magic
  3. key — the most important part
  4. kid — child
  5. chip — for betting
  6. kid — to tease
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. shower — rain
  9. chip — to eat
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. spell — a short time
  12. key — for a lock
  13. firm — a company
  14. key — in music
  15. firm — steady
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. rest — a break
  20. spell — letters
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. firm — decided
  23. shower — to wash
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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