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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cold — not warm
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. clip — for paper
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cold — an illness
  16. key — the most important part
  17. board — to get on
  18. clip — to cut
  19. wound — an injury
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. clip — a video
  22. board — a committee
  23. fine — high quality
  24. chip — for betting

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