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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. tube — the underground
  3. cap — a lid
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rest — what's left
  7. game — a match
  8. last — to go on
  9. game — wild animals
  10. tube — a container
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. last — final
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. cap — of ice
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rest — a break
  22. last — finally
  23. cap — a hat
  24. leaves — of a tree

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