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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. cold — not warm
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bank — for money
  7. cold — an illness
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. bank — for money
  10. chip — for betting
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. key — the most important part
  13. drill — army training
  14. bank — of a river
  15. key — in music
  16. tube — a container
  17. key — for a lock
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. drill — the tool
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bay — a horse colour

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