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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. dip — to sink
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — letters
  5. staff — a stick
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. chip — for betting
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. march — music
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. march — the month
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — a price
  21. march — the month
  22. charge — electricity
  23. spell — a short time
  24. staff — employees

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