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 120 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bank — of a river
  3. clip — to cut
  4. court — of law
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. can — a tin
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. content — happy
  10. content — the amount
  11. court — for sport
  12. clip — a video
  13. chip — to eat
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. can — a tin
  17. clip — for paper
  18. court — of a king
  19. firm — decided
  20. chip — for betting
  21. firm — a company
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. can — to be able to
  24. firm — steady

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