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 124 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. chip — for betting
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bound — certain
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bound — tied together
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bat — the animal
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bound — obliged
  16. craft — boats
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. ruler — for measuring

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