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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. game — wild animals
  3. chip — for betting
  4. spell — a short time
  5. saw — the tool
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pop — soda
  8. charge — in control
  9. prune — to trim
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. spell — letters
  13. game — a match
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pop — music
  17. chip — to eat
  18. charge — a price
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. spell — magic
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. prune — the fruit

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