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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. cell — in biology
  3. sharp — clever
  4. chip — for betting
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. shower — to wash
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. shower — rain
  16. stem — to come from
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. chip — to eat
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. mate — to breed
  21. cell — a phone
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bowl — a dish

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