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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. ground — crushed
  3. march — music
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. ground — a position
  8. plane — a tool
  9. chip — to eat
  10. march — the month
  11. game — a match
  12. season — in sport
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. season — of the year
  15. rush — hurry
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. board — to get on
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. game — wild animals
  21. ground — the earth
  22. march — the month
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. game — a kind of play

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