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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. chip — for betting
  3. band — a music group
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cell — a phone
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bark — to shout
  11. mark — a grade
  12. pound — a weight
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. mark — a trace
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chip — to eat
  21. band — a ring
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. band — a rubber band

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