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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cue — a hint
  3. scale — in music
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. land — ground
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. cue — a signal
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — a country
  13. cue — for pool
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bass — the fish
  19. chair — a leader
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bass — low music
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chair — a professorship

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