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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rash — a series
  4. present — a gift
  5. fall — the season
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. track — a song
  9. rash — hasty
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. present — there
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. track — to keep track
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fall — to drop
  19. chip — to eat
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. fall — to drop
  22. track — a path
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. chip — for betting

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