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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. degree — temperature
  4. can — a tin
  5. last — final
  6. prune — to trim
  7. last — to go on
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. can — a tin
  10. bulb — for light
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bass — the fish
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. last — finally
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. degree — an amount
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. degree — from a university
  22. bass — low music
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bulb — for light

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