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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  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. bat — in an idiom
  2. ground — a position
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. wind — moving air
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mug — a cup
  9. wind — moving air
  10. ground — crushed
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — government
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. ground — the earth
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mug — a face
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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