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 116 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. march — the month
  5. charge — in control
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. march — music
  9. spring — a coil
  10. chip — for betting
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — of water
  13. pitch — completely
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — electricity
  16. dip — to sink
  17. suit — clothes
  18. kick — in football
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. chip — to eat
  22. march — the month
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. kick — with a leg

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