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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. march — the month
  6. land — to come down
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. hand — in cards
  9. land — a country
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. march — the month
  12. dip — to sink
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. land — ground
  15. chip — to eat
  16. hand — help
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. chip — for betting
  23. fine — high quality
  24. dip — a sauce

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