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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. net — for catching
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. net — in sport
  6. race — a contest
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bound — tied together
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rule — government
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bass — low music
  13. deal — to handle
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. race — humankind
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rule — a law
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. net — after costs
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bound — certain
  23. race — the arms race
  24. bound — obliged

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