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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. staff — employees
  4. bound — tied together
  5. race — humankind
  6. bound — obliged
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bound — certain
  9. chip — for betting
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — to get on
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. land — to come down
  14. firm — a company
  15. race — a contest
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — decided
  18. land — ground
  19. staff — employees
  20. board — a committee
  21. land — a country
  22. race — the arms race
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. chip — to eat

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