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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. pit — in a race
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. season — in sport
  10. chip — for betting
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cold — not warm
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. cold — an illness
  16. kick — in football
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. chair — a leader
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. chip — to eat
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. season — of the year

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