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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chest — of your body
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. chest — of your body
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — a permit
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mark — a trace
  15. prune — to trim
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. mark — a grade
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. chest — a box
  24. coach — a trainer

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