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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chest — of your body
  3. fine — high quality
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. can — to be able to
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pound — a weight
  8. can — a tin
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bore — to tire
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — a box
  13. bore — to drill
  14. key — in music
  15. can — a tin
  16. bank — for money
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bank — for money
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. key — for a lock
  24. fine — all right

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