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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. game — wild animals
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. fork — in a road
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. scale — size or range
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. chip — for betting
  18. band — a ring
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. scale — in music
  21. game — a match
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. band — a music group
  24. wave — with your hand

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