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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. shower — to wash
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a committee
  12. shower — rain
  13. saw — the tool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. saw — the tool
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bulb — for light
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — to roll

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