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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. charge — in control
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. toast — bread
  5. chip — for betting
  6. plane — a tool
  7. charge — a price
  8. fall — the season
  9. land — to come down
  10. cold — not warm
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. land — a country
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. chip — to eat
  17. land — ground
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fall — to drop
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. fall — to drop
  24. cold — an illness

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