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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. saw — the tool
  5. row — to paddle
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. row — a line
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stock — goods
  15. chip — to eat
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. degree — temperature
  18. degree — an amount
  19. stock — shares
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. degree — from a university
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mouse — the animal

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