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 124 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. staff — a stick
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. land — a country
  5. staff — employees
  6. present — there
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. land — ground
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. staff — employees
  12. present — the time now
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — a cake
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. chip — for betting
  17. land — to come down
  18. chip — to eat
  19. pass — a permit
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fine — all right
  23. fork — in a road
  24. present — a gift

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