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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. band — a music group
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. chip — to eat
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mine — for digging
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. band — a ring
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. hand — help
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. hand — in cards

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