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

Word bank: mug · chip · suit · race · wake · root · snap · bulb

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mug — a face
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bulb — for light
  6. root — the cause
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. suit — clothes
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. race — humankind
  15. suit — to fit
  16. chip — for betting
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bulb — for light
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — of a word
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a cup

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