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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chair — a leader
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bark — to shout
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. spring — the season
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. spring — of water
  10. wax — to grow
  11. spring — a coil
  12. stand — to bear
  13. chip — to eat
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. fine — all right
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. fine — a penalty

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