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 116 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. spell — a short time
  3. chip — for betting
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. shower — rain
  8. content — the amount
  9. scale — in music
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. chip — to eat
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. spell — magic
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. wound — an injury
  19. shower — to wash
  20. spell — letters
  21. current — happening now
  22. scale — size or range
  23. content — happy
  24. wound — an injury

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