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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. cue — for pool
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pop — music
  8. drill — a practice
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a path
  11. track — a song
  12. land — ground
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pop — soda
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pop — to visit
  19. cue — a hint
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. cue — a signal
  22. land — a country
  23. land — to come down
  24. drill — the tool

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