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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. stock — shares
  3. present — the time now
  4. clip — for paper
  5. charge — electricity
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. charge — in control
  8. chip — to eat
  9. rule — government
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. cold — an illness
  12. present — there
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. chip — for betting
  15. charge — a price
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. rule — a law
  18. rush — hurry
  19. present — a gift
  20. clip — a video
  21. clip — to cut
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. cold — not warm
  24. stock — goods

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