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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. chip — for betting
  3. wake — a trail
  4. fall — the season
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. key — in music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pop — music
  13. wound — an injury
  14. chip — to eat
  15. wound — an injury
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — to drop
  18. firm — steady
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. firm — decided
  22. key — for a lock
  23. firm — a company
  24. bowl — a football final

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