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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. game — wild animals
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. chip — for betting
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. bat — the animal
  10. chip — to eat
  11. game — a match
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. can — to be able to
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. lie — to recline
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. rock — music
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rock — a stone
  24. current — electric

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