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 is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bank — for money
  3. land — to come down
  4. race — a contest
  5. firm — decided
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. chip — for betting
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — help
  11. bore — to drill
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. land — ground
  14. bank — for money
  15. race — humankind
  16. firm — a company
  17. bore — to tire
  18. firm — steady
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bank — of a river
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. race — the arms race
  24. safe — out of danger

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