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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. net — for catching
  4. press — a publisher
  5. shower — rain
  6. press — newspapers
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. net — after costs
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. craft — boats
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bulb — for light
  15. shower — to wash
  16. press — to push
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. chip — for betting
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. net — in sport

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