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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. cold — an illness
  6. chip — to eat
  7. cold — not warm
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. club — for golf
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chest — of your body
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for dancing
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. chip — for betting

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