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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. game — wild animals
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. row — to paddle
  7. march — the month
  8. cap — a hat
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. march — the month
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rash — a series
  16. row — a line
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. chip — for betting
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cap — of ice
  21. march — music
  22. cap — a lid
  23. rash — hasty
  24. game — a match

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