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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pound — a weight
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bore — to drill
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. date — on the calendar

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