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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — rain
  4. mark — a trace
  5. chip — to eat
  6. last — to go on
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. shower — to wash
  9. saw — the tool
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. last — final
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. board — to get on
  15. last — finally
  16. mark — a grade
  17. saw — the tool
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ground — the earth
  21. board — a committee
  22. ground — crushed
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ground — a position

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