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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. key — in music
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bound — certain
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. cold — an illness
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. object — an aim
  11. cold — not warm
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — a thing
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bound — obliged
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bound — tied together
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. cold — the Cold War

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