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 120 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. current — happening now
  12. pitch — completely
  13. game — a match
  14. rule — government
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. current — of water
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. current — electric
  22. game — wild animals
  23. rule — a law
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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