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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. chip — to eat
  6. scale — in music
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bat — the animal
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. track — to keep track
  12. race — the arms race
  13. track — a song
  14. game — a match
  15. track — a path
  16. season — of the year
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. season — in sport
  19. race — a contest
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. game — wild animals
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. scale — size or range
  24. race — humankind

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