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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. club — for dancing
  3. club — for golf
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. degree — an amount
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. degree — from a university
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. club — a group
  15. rest — a break
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. degree — temperature
  18. chip — for betting
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fork — in a road

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