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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. suit — to fit
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bulb — for light
  7. chip — for betting
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. suit — clothes
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. cap — a hat
  15. kid — to tease
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. rush — hurry
  18. cap — of ice
  19. chip — to eat
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. bulb — for light
  22. suit — in cards
  23. cap — a lid
  24. kid — child

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