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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. staff — employees
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chip — for betting
  8. staff — a stick
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. charge — in control
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. charge — electricity
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. cell — a phone
  17. charge — a price
  18. craft — a skill
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. staff — employees
  21. cell — in biology
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. craft — boats

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