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 116 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · fan · sharp · chip · can · season

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. season — of the year
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. season — in sport
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. chip — to eat
  12. can — a tin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. sharp — clever
  16. deal — to handle
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. fan — a supporter

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