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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. craft — a skill
  3. degree — from a university
  4. degree — temperature
  5. chip — to eat
  6. field — farmland
  7. drill — army training
  8. field — for sport
  9. suit — to fit
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. suit — in cards
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. suit — clothes
  14. drill — a practice
  15. drill — the tool
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. field — a subject
  20. pitch — completely
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. craft — boats
  24. degree — an amount

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