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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. present — there
  3. hand — help
  4. cap — a hat
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stock — shares
  7. season — of the year
  8. cap — a lid
  9. vault — a safe
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cap — of ice
  13. present — the time now
  14. cell — a phone
  15. season — in sport
  16. cell — in biology
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. hand — in cards
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. present — a gift

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